21
by Gweneveire
Summary: Raven is coerced into having a city-wide twenty-first birthday party to try and repair damage to the team's reputation, though the preceding weeks hold more trouble than anticipated. Yet amongst the stressful preparation, an emerging threat, and a growing darkness within her, Raven is struck by evolving emotions towards a teammate.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is really a disclaimer. I am not a writer. I'm not even an English major. I'm a Teen Titans fan and as I was taking a trip down memory lane watching the cartoon the other day, this idea came into my head that felt like I had to write. This is my experimental first fanfic (so go easy on me)! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think!

XOXO Gwen

Oh yeah, disclaimer number two! I don't own Teen Titans. I don't own much of anything really.

* * *

_**Part 1**_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Finally," Cyborg huffed as he screwed the last bolt into his latest creation.

Raven's eyes lifted from her book for a moment to glance at her teammate's project. The Titan's technology had needed an upgrade for quite awhile now and Cyborg had finally gotten around to working on it this week. The computers in the common room, though they still had keyboards, were now all touch-screens; quite a feat considering Raven and Starfire were the only two whose hands were normally exposed.

"Cyborg, friend, are you at last finished with the upgrading?" Starfire inquired from the kitchen. She had just finished concocting some Tamaranian dish. Raven couldn't tell what it was, of course—they all looked slimy and gross to her—but Starfire planned on consuming it for lunch. She enjoyed earthly food, but still ate her native fare often.

"Yep! The tech is upgraded, the work is done, and chef Cyborg's making lunch!" He entered the kitchen in search of food. "Want something to eat Rae?"

Though it was already past noon, Raven didn't have much of an appetite. She sat at the kitchen table, engaged in a novel she had just bought yesterday. "I'll make something in a minute," she replied. The common room was peacefully quiet this morning. The soft clanking of Cyborg's tools and Starfire's contented humming were a perfect background to Raven's reading.

"Dude!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he sauntered through the door to the common room. _Well,_ Raven thought with a frown, _there goes that._

Beast Boy assessed the changes to the common room tech. "Sweet, the TV's back up! Wanna play some video games, Cy?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Cyborg, who by now had built a hefty, meaty sub, grinned.

"I'm ready to kick your skinny green butt!" he taunted, scarfing his sandwich and hopping over the couch to join Beast Boy.

"Boys," Raven sighed as she closed her book. "No matter how old they get, they still act like idiots."

Starfire giggled at the pair, who hadn't played games in a while. For one, the Titan's computers had been down for a few days as Cyborg updated them. But as the two grew older, they found more "adult" activities to occupy themselves with. They spent most of their free time out on Jump City's club scene drinking and partying, though they were still up for a few rounds of the latest Mega-Monkeys every now and then.

Raven moved into the kitchen calmly as she prepared a cup of tea and some fruit for a light lunch. As she worked, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the surface of the refrigerator and her eyes lingered a little longer than usual. What had caught her attention was her hair—it was getting long, almost brushing her shoulders. It was time for a trim. _This afternoon, perhaps,_ she thought.

Since she usually spent so little time looking at her image, she allowed herself a few extra moments to study her face. It had matured since she joined the Titans, which was, of course, to be expected. Though she always acted the most mature of the Titans, she was actually the youngest member of the team; she was about to turn twenty one in a couple of weeks. _Five years as a titan,_ she thought. She had always acted like an adult, but now she finally looked the part—her cheeks had lost their round shape and had become more angular, her jaw more defined, and her features more prominent.

Everyone on the team had changed. Well, almost everyone. Raven looked over at Cyborg, whose face had only changed a little bit. The rest of him was covered in metal, so it was hard to tell any difference. Beast Boy, on the other hand, had grown at least a foot. Though he was still shorter than the other Titans, he was close on their heels and still considerably taller than Raven, who had only grown an inch. She was content with her height, but certainly wouldn't mind an extra inch or two. Or three. Even though the green Titan had grown, he was still thin and lanky, with a layer of ropey muscle covering his body.

Turning back to her tea, Raven was distracted by the disturbing sight of Starfire gobbling down her gelatinous Tamaranian lunch. The girl hadn't grown much taller either, but, like Raven, had matured in the face considerably, though she still had an innocent beauty to her.

"Raven!" the alien sang out as Raven returned to the kitchen table. "Please, my grid of dates tells me that your birthday is only a flarthnog away. I must begin the plans of celebration and require your assistance and approval!" she said, beaming.

Raven tried not to cringe. "Listen Starfire," she began firmly, "we're just going to celebrate like we usually do. A small party with just the five of us." She would rather just forget the whole thing, but her friends would not let her get away with that. Besides, she didn't really mind spending time with her friends, she just didn't like all of the fanfare that accompanied the date.

"Lame!" Beast Boy called from the couch, attention momentarily diverted from his game. That was all it took for Cyborg to deliver one final blow and defeat him.

"Not cool," Beast Boy enunciated to his metal companion before they both joined the girls in the kitchen.

"You're turning twenty-one, not ten!" the green Titan elaborated. "I'm thinking pizza, cool club downtown, and SHOTS!" he said mischievously.

"Aw, yeah!" Cyborg hollered. "You know what they say: twenty-one years, twenty-one shots!"

Raven just stared a them for a moment. "You're joking, right?"

"Yes, Robin has repeatedly instructed me not to partake in the 'alcohol' of this planet," Starfire stated nervously.

"Don't listen to everything Robin says," Beast Boy scoffed dismissively. He looked around the room. "Speaking of Robin, where is he? It's not like him to sleep this late. I wonder if he's—"

"I CAN'T BELEIVE THIS!" Robin shouted as he stormed through the doors, right on cue. He was gesturing to the opened newspaper in his hands, clearly exasperated. "After all we do for this city!" The Titans all circled behind his seething form, curious as to what had riled him this time.

Evidently, it was a newspaper article about them whose title read:

TEEN TITANS NEED TO GROW UP

Raven sighed. _Here we go..._

Beast Boy cleared his throat ceremonially and began to read aloud.

"'While the Teen Titans have protected our city from danger for many years, they're becoming adults and need to act as such. Costly, messy battles that the city has to pay to repair the damage from, reclusive and often rude behavior towards citizens, and a general disregard for the order they supposedly fight to protect in Jump City has created a wary attitude towards the crime fighting team.'"

Beast Boy stopped reading aloud as he skimmed the next paragraph, visibly paling. Robin picked up where he had left off, glaring at Beast Boy and Cyborg as he read.

"'The Titans are not exactly role models either. Once a little more wholesome, the team can now be seen hitting the clubs, drinking, and partying in between fighting crime,'" Robin dictated, each word distinct and dripping with scorn. "'Just last week Beast Boy and Cyborg were seen at a local night club, passed out from intoxication.'" Robin stopped to glare at his teammates.

"Uhhh..." Beast Boy stammered in response, shrugging sheepishly. Cyborg was even blushing under the heat of Robin's glare.

"Hey, it's not all our fault," Cyborg finally managed.

"Yeah, that line about 'reclusive and rude' was a direct reference to Raven!" Beast Boy added defensively.

"I'm just here to fight crime. Not really a people person," she replied indifferently.

Robin sighed, loosing some of his anger. "We're all guilty of acting a little less than heroic lately." He paused a moment. "We need to bring our focus back to our job of protecting the city. Which is why there are going to be some changes around here."

_Changes._ Raven had never liked that word, especially when it came out of Robin's mouth. Though she wasn't thrilled about what this article would mean for them, she did enjoy the verbal pounding Cyborg and Beast Boy were receiving. _That was a long time coming, _she smirked to herself.

"Robin, what changes do you speak of?" Starfire questioned, eyes wide.

"Well, for starters no more irresponsible behavior." He turned his gaze on Cyborg and Beast Boy. "Especially you two."

"Well, there goes Raven's birthday party," grumbled Cyborg.

"Raven's..." Robin began quizzically. "Oh, right, it's almost your birthday," he said to Raven. Cyborg and Beast Boy glanced at each other, thankful for the distraction.

"Sure is!" Beast Boy exclaimed perkily. "And now that partying is on the list of inexcusable behaviors"—Robin rolled his eyes—"we have to come up with a whole new plan."

"I already told you—" Raven began, but Beast Boy's hand clamped down on her mouth. She turned her best glare on him and he quickly removed it, smiling sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Cyborg continued. "Yep, it's gonna be tough since we're clearly being watched," he said, referencing the paper.

"Well then we'll just have to...wait a minute." Robin's eyes narrowed. "You two are trying to distract me. I'm not finished—"

Just then his communicator began to blink.

"Alright, perfect timing!" Cyborg exclaimed, garnering an eye-roll from Robin.

"Robin, what is the trouble?" Starfire asked.

"Not trouble, just someone trying to contact us," he replied, brows drawn together in confusion. The team gathered around the TV as Robin transferred the image from his communicator to the screen. A young woman with neat features and a clean appearance sat in a well-appointed office, her thin lips turned up in a conservative but pleasant smile.

"Uh, can we help you?" Robin asked.

"Hello, Titans. My name is Celeste Bowman. I'm an assistant to Jump City's new Mayor, Annette Forbes."

"Wait, when did Jump City get a new Mayor?" Beast Boy interrupted.

"It's called an election, Beast Boy. They have them every once in a while, here in America," Raven said sarcastically.

"Anyhow," Celeste said crisply, "it's recently come to our attention that your team has had some _issues_ with the media, to phrase it delicately." All of the Titans looked a little embarrassed. "Yes, well, seeing as how the city needs your services and how we fund your crime-fighting efforts, we've decided we really must fix this problem. We need Jump City to adore its heroes," she said. "Now, we'd be more than happy to help with your 're-imaging,' but I would suggest we meet first to discuss it further."

"That would be, um, nice," Robin said cautiously. "But I don't want to commit to anything yet. We need to talk about together first, and we would need to know more about what you're planning."

"Of course. Let's meet tomorrow, say at eight?" she suggested. "We're quite excited to discuss this further."

"As are we," Raven spoke up in her cool, confident tone. Raven wasn't sure this was was a good idea, but it was interesting, to say the least.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning. Until then, Titans," Celeste said. The screen went blank, offering a scenic view of the bay once again.

* * *

It was a short drive to City Hall the next morning, and a quiet one. Beast Boy was still waking up thanks to the early wake-up call. Raven was reserved as usual. Robin was pondering all possible outcomes of the meeting, and Starfire was uncharacteristically silent as she stared out the window, worried about how the meeting would go and how her friends' behavior would be perceived. Cyborg kept his attention on the road.

Overall, Raven couldn't complain.

When they arrived, they all moved stiffly out of the car and up to the regal building. A few minutes later, they were all seated in elegant leather chairs that lined the hallway outside of the mayor's office. A flurry of people streamed through the large oak double doors and all slowed their pace to stare at the Titans with curiosity. Finally, Celeste emerged from the two doors, smiling at the assembled group curtly.

"Well," she said in greeting, "I certainly didn't expect you to come in costume."

"We're heroes," Robin said in reply, put out by her negative tone. "It's not exactly a day job. We have to be ready at all times."

"Of course," Celeste replied, turning into the office and beckoning them to follow.

Raven rose and followed her teammates through the doors. She didn't like this woman. She didn't like this situation. She didn't have much hope for a positive outcome.

As she passed through the large doorway, her eyes darted around the sizable office space, which was bustling with activity. _These must be the Mayor's assistants,_ she thought, looking at all of the desks and the suited people behind each of them. She caught bits of the conversation between Robin and the woman in front of her.

"Yes, the Mayor does have a sizable staff. I'm one of many on it and I'm specifically tasked with handling media concerns for the Mayor and her... acquaintances." Celeste smirked.

The Titans had reached another doorway against the back wall, similar to the first. Her reserved smile still in place, Celeste turned and walked through the door, leaving it open for the Titans to follow.

They walked single file through the doorway and into the Mayor's opulent office. Rich burgundy wall paper was well paired with oak wood floors, cabinets, and trimming. Gold accents and accessories were sprinkled throughout the room, adding to it's grandeur. It was octagonal, with four diagonal, shorter walls that were bookcases while the others held beautifully framed antique paintings.

"Typical," Raven muttered under her breath.

"Welcome," said a soft but authoritative voice from behind the deep oak desk. The woman had a full face with soft features and wispy hair and dressed her fuller figure with a soft-looking navy suit.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you," she continued. "Please, have a seat." Five identical leather chairs were placed in an arc before the Mayor's desk.

"As have we," Raven said placidly as she levitated to her seat, choosing the second one on the left. Catching Beast Boy's blank look, she amended, "well, at least some of us have." He narrowed his eyes at her across the space between them.

The Mayor merely smirked slightly. "I run a tight ship around here so I suggest we jump right in. The Teen Titans offer a very valuable service to Jump City by protecting it from crime our police force is not equipped to handle. We have continued to fund your operation because of its benefit to the city." She paused, considering her words carefully. "This may not always be able to continue."

"What?" a very dumbstruck Robin asked. "How can you not fund us anymore? Without your help we can't function, and with no heroes, Jump City would be in chaos!"

"You're getting ahead of yourself Robin," Mayor Forbes responded calmly. "I simply meant that your funding is conditional."

"Conditional on what?" Robin said weakly, knowing full well where this was going. "We protect the city, its citizens, and make sure the criminals are in their place."

"Yes. That is a very important part of your job," the Mayor conceded. "You respond to the public's need for safety, but now you must respond to its other needs. Our city needs more than heroes; it needs role models. Outstanding citizens that adults admire and children idolize. I understand that your job is to first and foremost fight crime, but you've been neglecting a key part of what has made you so successful in the past: your image. If the public doesn't approve of you, you become vigilantes, not heroes."

The room was silent when the Mayor finished her speech. Though all of the Titans hated to admit it, her point was valid. Starfire was the first to speak.

"We have most certainly let our standards fall. But please, what must we do to fix this?"

A smile played at the edge of the Mayor's lips. "That is what Ms. Bowman is here for," she said as her stately assistant circled around her desk to stand behind her to her right. "We've created a course of action that should put you back on track. Celeste?"

"The first part is simple enough," she stated. "All it requires is the cessation of any rude or inappropriate behavior. That means no partying, drinking, swearing, smoking, wearing inappropriate clothing, wearing no clothing, destruction of private property—intentional or unintentional," she scolded, catching the looks of protest on the youth's faces. "No insults, dirty jokes, crass language, taunting or arguing in public." She paused to catch her breath. "That should cover it, but please use good judgement. Can you all agree to this?"

The Titans grumbled a chorus of "yes," "I suppose," "sure," and "fine."

"We kind of agreed to something similar back at the tower," Robin admitted.

"Excellent. Now we can move on to the second part, which may take a while to complete. We'll have to keep an eye open for an opportunity to present itself."

"And what exactly is phase two?" Robin inquired.

"At this point, the damage to your reputation is done. Simply ceasing your bad behavior will not be enough to win back the hearts of Jump City," Celeste replied. "We'll have to find a way to make them take a second look at the Titans. Something that will get a lot of media attention, like a fundraiser, a gala, or an extreme act of selflessness."

"Extreme act of selflessness?" Robin asked incredulously. "We protect the city and act selflessly every day."

"Yes, but the public has seen you do that a hundred times. It's old hat. We're looking for something out of character. Something that will catch their attention. After that, I want you all helping orphans, stray animals, the elderly, disabled veterans; charity work will be progression of these changes will help make this appear more natural instead of in response to the recent media attacks." Celeste finished speaking and waited for the team's response.

"This sounds well thought out," Raven replied thoughtfully as the other Titan's nodded in agreement.

"We'll keep our word about the first part," Robin added. "We're in for some major changes. But what about this second part? What are we supposed to do for that?"

"That will be my job," Celeste said. "We would love some sort of a fundraiser, to prove your maturity and dedication to helping others. However, it must be in response to something, or else it will appear too staged. A holiday, a tragedy, even a natural disaster would do as a cause," she pondered apathetically.

"Dude!" Beast Boy shouted, almost leaping from his seat with excitement. "I've got it! Raven's Birthday!"

Starfire squealed at the prospect, floating up and spinning around in the Mayor's high ceiling. "Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" She cried out. "It will be a glorious celebration!"

Raven, on the other hand, sat completely still, processing what was happening.

"Absolutely not," she barked, finally getting ahold of her initial flood of dread. "There is no way in hell I'm letting you—"

"Swearing!" Celeste's chastising voice rang out.

"Oh come on Rae, we can have the party in the tower and everything!" Beast Boy pleaded.

"I rather like the idea," the Mayor added. "The event will be justified, and we can ask for donations to various organizations in Jump City. It will seem very charitable, having a fundraising gala instead of a traditional party."

"Gala?" Raven asked incredulously, but Celeste talked over her.

"Well then, it's settled," she said, jotting down notes on a yellow legal pad. "I'll get started—"

"Settled?" Raven asked angrily. "As I said before I will_ not_ allow you to—"

"Raven," Robin said firmly. When Raven looked at him, she saw pleading in his features. It gave her pause. _We need this_, he would have said. _The team needs this._

The room was silent and tense for the twenty seconds it took Raven to talk herself into this. "Fine," she finally sighed, un-inclined to say more.

"Joyous!"

"Alright!"

"Awesome!"

The chorus of voices rang out, all clearly excited. The Mayor directed a sympathetic thank you to Raven, who gave a stiff nod in return.

"Now," Celeste said, clearly ready to move forward, "I'll send over a list of parameters for the gala first thing tomorrow, so that you can begin the preparations. It will be a lot of work, but I want you five to be in charge of planning." Raven's head spun as she continued with her oratory. "Thank you all for coming in today. We look forward to working with you further."

With that, the Titan's murmured their partings and walked out single-file the way they came, all but Raven boisterously chatting about her gala. _Gala_, Raven thought with scorn. _What about _me_ says 'Gala'?_

As they approached the T-car, it was all Raven could do to keep her mouth shut.

* * *

Raven floated down the hallway hastily towards her room. She had been silent the entire ride home amidst the clamor from her teammates about the upcoming festivities. She just stared ahead and pretended to be uninterested in their conversation. Though the mood was mostly light (Robin was a little ruffled at having to take orders from someone else), it didn't remotely reach Raven. Now, as she passed through the door to her room, she let her built up distress run loose.

_Why is this happening?_ she thought as books, sculptures, and furniture flew around her darkly decorated room, encased in black energy. One of the reasons Raven's room was such a sacred space was because it was the only place she could safely let her emotions loose. She didn't have to worry about anyone getting hurt when she was all alone, locked in her room.

_How can any of them think this is a good idea?_ she continued her mental lament as she paced through the room. _A party, for my birthday, where I will be forced into the center of everyones' attention for hours. They'll probably make me talk to these people. What if they ask me questions about who I am, where I came from, what my life is like?_

Raven was always known as the mysterious one on the team. The media always speculated about her, her past, her love life (which Raven knew was nonexistent, even if the tabloids didn't). There was a reason Raven never spoke of these things: the answers were something that the public didn't want to hear. If they knew her past, or her struggles to keep her powers and emotions in check... she doubted they would like having her around. But at the party, would people ask her these questions face-to-face? She wasn't even remotely sure how she would answer. How she _should_ answer.

The anxiety built inside of her until a lamp shattered, sending bits of ceramic flying around the room. Raven held up a hand, forming a shield of energy to keep the pieces from reaching her.

A knock at her door interrupted her nervous worrying. She expected it was Robin, as his room was the closest to hers and he grew the most concerned about her emotional health. _He probably heard all of the commotion_, Raven sighed, making her way carefully around all the debris on the floor. She cracked the door open only enough to show her face, and was surprised to discover Beast Boy there instead of the team leader. She stared at him blankly.

"Um, hi," he choked out hesitantly. "I uh, know this is kinda Robin's job, but I, um, wanted to make sure you were okay. You were pretty quiet during the ride home."

She hadn't thought he had noticed; he was responsible for quite a bit of the noise in the car. Eager to be rid of him, she clipped out a flat "never better." She stepped back as the door started to shut.

"Wait!" he cried, jamming his foot into the crack in an attempt to stop the door. He only ended up crying out in pain as the door slid shut into his foot.

This time, Raven opened the door all the way, stepping into the hallway and kneeling beside him as he cradled his injured appendage. "Are you alright?" she asked anxiously.

"I think so," he said as she offered a hand to help him stand. He gingerly placed his foot on the ground. "Doesn't feel like anything's broken, at least."

Raven straightened her posture and narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, that was stupid," she remarked, attempting to cover her concern with cynicism.

Beast Boy gave her a weak glare, then returned to the subject he was evidently determined to discuss. "Seriously Raven, I know this is probably a lot for you and I know you don't like people and all but—"

Raven held up a hand to silence him. "Thank you for your concern Beast Boy, but I'm fine," she lied unconvincingly.

"I have eyes, Raven. I can see that this makes you really uncomfortable."

Raven was slightly taken aback. Beast Boy looked at her with genuine concern. Raven was unsure of what to say in return. She stared at him for a moment before slipping back into her usual reaction to the social unknown.

"I know you have eyes, I just doubt they're connected to a brain," she replied cooly, moving back into familiar territory. Though Raven knew Beast Boy had developed a more serious side, she still wasn't sure how to handle it.

As Raven's door shut again, Beast Boy didn't try to stop it. He just watched her with clouded eyes.

* * *

The remainder of the evening was fairly uneventful. Now that going out was off of the agenda, Beast Boy and Cyborg moved from one activity to the next, from video games to watching movies to weightlifting, ultimately unsuccessful in finding something to keep their attention for long. Robin was busy with his usual pastime: worrying. Alone in his room, he alternated between checking up on the Titan's favorite villains and fuming about their current debacle, making minimal progress on either front. Starfire, who was too innocent to cause trouble and thus the only one allowed out of the tower alone at the moment, was passing the day at the mall, shopping for who knew what. Raven never really understood her fascination; if she wore her uniform every day, what was the need for other clothing?

Raven, after cleaning the mess in her room, settled in for a long, much-needed, and fortunately uninterrupted meditation. She followed it with dinner and some quiet reading, after which it was time for bed.

Normally, the Titans wore their uniforms 24/7. They were designed to be fairly comfortable and each had several copies so that the Titans always had a fresh one. This was a necessity over a preference, as the team had to always be ready for battle. Raven couldn't count the times she had awoken in the dead of night to the sound of the alarm. As Robin always said, being a hero wasn't a day job.

That being said, Raven needed some sleep. Though the day was mostly uneventful, Raven was emotionally taxed. Her normally sharp mind was exhausted, and she needed rest to revitalize it. _If there's any trouble, the rest of the team will have to take care of it without me,_ she decided. With this in mind, she slipped out of her leotard, belt, and boots and into one of her three pieces of "normal" clothing. The nightgown she donned was purchased a few years back for nights like these, when she knew she wouldn't be interrupted and wanted to take advantage of getting out of her typical garb for once. It was a soft, stretchy black material that fell a few inches below her behind. The top had a V-neck with two thin straps. It was simple, extremely comfortable, and suited Raven's purposes. She ran a hand through her deep purple hair as she climbed into bed, pushing the shoulder-length strands out of her face.

As she settled in and closed her eyes, she let out a sigh. While she had calmed considerably about the meeting this morning and its implications, she still wasn't thrilled about the prospect of a huge party. Raven took a deep breath, muttering a drawn-out "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos" on the exhale. She felt its calming effect rush through her entire body as her lips turned up into a small smile.

She was almost asleep when she began to feel it. It was gradual, starting off as a dull pain in her head, and grew until her eyes flew open at its intensity. Her head throbbed, with a sharp, stabbing pain in the center of her forehead. Her body started to burn and she writhed in her skin, fear gripping her mind. Her vision was tinged with red and spotted with black.

With gasping breaths, she frantically grabbed for something, anything to help her. The pain built and built until she felt she was going to burst and then...

It was gone. Raven shook as she sat alone in her bed, tangled in her sheets, desperately trying to catch her breath and figure out what had just happened. Her room was still blazing and humid; she noticed it had left her window foggy. Raven's stomach dropped when she caught sight of the window. There, traced in the steam, was the symbol that Raven had feared and fought her entire life.

The mark of Scath.

Raven didn't hear herself scream. She only felt the rising blackness and felt herself succumb. A few seconds later, she was on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hey, you're here! That means that you found chapter one interesting enough to keep reading, and for that I give you a huge THANK YOU! Please review! I would love to hear from you!

XOXO Gwen

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Teen Titans. If I did they probably wouldn't be coming back in chibi form. Just saying.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Robin was the first to arrive. The scream was loud, terrified, and distinctly Raven's. Throwing on his cape as he ran, he arrived at her door in twenty seconds, barreling through it and into Raven's dark abode. His eyes scanned the room, searching for his friend.

"Raven!" he called out as he spotted her collapsed on the floor at the bottom of her bed. The other Titans, roused from their slumber by the same scream, poured into the room and surrounded Robin as he attempted to wake the listless girl. He shook her shoulders gently.

"Raven? Raven!" he called out nervously. "Raven, what's wrong? Come on, wake up!" For the moment, his efforts were to no avail.

Beast Boy, seeing there was nothing he could do to help her right now, stood up from were he was kneeling beside her and looked around the room. _What happened?_ he wondered, searching for any signs of disturbance. The room was a little cold, but other than the tangled sheets on Raven's bed it was undisturbed.

Beast Boy walked over to Raven's narrow, floor-length window and looked out to see if something outside the tower was the cause. All he saw was the skyline of Jump City, glowing against the water in the dead of night.

He turned his attention back to Raven and the other Titans clustered around her.

"Come on, let's get her to the medical bay," Cyborg said grimly, gathering Raven in his giant arms. She looked extremely pale and fragile in his metal limbs, her face void of any emotion.

Once they arrived, Cyborg placed her on the nearest bed and began flipping switches on the medical equipment, hooking her up to various machines. The other Titans settled into the room, looking anxious but exhausted. Now that the initial adrenaline had worn off, they were all still trying to adjust to their state of wake. The clock above the door said it was 3:19 am.

After a few minutes, Cyborg reached a conclusion. "Well, physically she's fine. Everything looks normal. I think we should just wait this out. I don't want to go messin' with the girls mind since none of us are really sure how her powers work." The others consented, but hung around to monitor her.

Beast Boy stood at the side of the bed, watching his friend take in slow, deep breaths. For the first time since they found her, he noticed her attire. The nightgown was... _kinda cute_, he thought, then shook his head. This was _Raven _he was talking about. 'Cute' didn't describe her. _But pretty does_, a part of his mind thought, startling him. _Where did that come from?_

Suddenly, Raven's eyes flew open, bringing Beast Boy's previous train of thought to an abrupt stop.

She took a sharp breath as she bolted into a sitting position. She looked around the room, clearly disoriented.

"Raven!" Robin breathed in a sigh of relief, moving over to her bedside with the others right behind him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Her eyes focused as she grew more lucid. "I'm fine," she said slowly.

"What happened?" Robin asked again, eager for her account.

She looked towards one of the windows in the bay, staring out of it for a few moments before answering. "I'm sorry to have frightened you. I just had a bad dream."

"That must have been one hell of a dream!" Cyborg exclaimed. "When we found you you were out cold. Been that way for fifteen minutes."

"Yes, Raven, we were all very much alarmed. Are you certain it was merely a dream?"

"Yes, Starfire," Raven responded, returning to her stoic state. "I had a nightmare and lost control of my emotions."

"Raven, I'm not sure that's all there is to it. You've never had a nightmare like that before," Robin said dubiously. Raven turned her icy gaze on him. Beast Boy had been on the receiving end of that gaze enough times to know how chilling it truly was.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Raven asked, eyes boring into Robin's.

"No, Raven, it's just that—"

"I assure you, it was simply a dream," she said firmly, rising from the bed and heading towards the door.

* * *

Raven was eager to leave the room; she knew that the longer she stayed, the more questions her friends would ask. Her excuse was weak and they were justifiably skeptical. She slid off of the edge of the bed, feeling the cool tile against her bare feet. She was halfway to the door when she realized something was wrong. Looking down, she became very aware that she was in her nightgown. _Of all the nights_, she thought, exasperated.

_Keep walking_, she commanded herself. _Maybe they won't—_

"Uh, nice jammies, Rae," Cyborg commented, trying to keep from snickering. _Of course they would_, Raven sighed.

She turned to look at her friends with her lips pursed indignantly. Cyborg and Robin looked like they were about to burst into laughter and Starfire had a glimmer in her eyes that Raven could only imagine came from visions of shopping sprees. Beast Boy looked...embarrassed? _Is he blushing?_ Raven thought. Currently, his eyes were adverted, studying something very fascinating on the floor.

"I was hoping for a night of uninterrupted sleep," she ground out, "but evidently that was too much to ask for." She glared at them, but it wasn't even close to her usual level of intimidation. It was the best she could do given the circumstances. She turned on her heel and walked with feigned dignity from the room. She spent the entire walk back to her room trying to get the blush to leave her cheeks.

When she returned to her quarters, she closed and locked the door with a simple touch of the panel beside it. She looked around the room cautiously. Sure enough, it looked and felt completely normal. She turned her gaze towards the window, mind swimming as she confirmed it was unmarked.

"_What happened?"_ Robin's voice echoed through her mind. _That's a good question._ She sighed. What _was_ that? Was it a nightmare? A message? A product of her active and volatile mind? Raven's emotional turmoil often manifested itself in physical ways.

As much as Raven would have liked to believe that answer, the truth was that she had no idea what that was. Which meant that it very well could have been real.

Raven's stomach churned. As a demon, Trigon was incapable of being truly destroyed. The last time Raven had faced him, he had brought complete destruction to her home. Though she was able to banish him from this world, it only sent him back to the fiery wasteland from which he had come. And she wasn't even really the one to do it.

She had never told the other Titans, but the power with which she had fought Trigon wasn't hers. It was the ancient souls of Azarath, her first home, all channeling their power through her. They restored her to her previous state before the prophecy had destroyed her and gave her their power to fight her father. It was the most frightening and exhilarating experience she had ever had.

Unfortunately, it was kind of a one-time deal. Raven knew that she had no hope of ever defeating Trigon again if he were to return. Up until now, she was certain that that wasn't a possibility. _He can't return, he can't return, he _cannot_ return, _she repeated forcefully to herself. She believed it, mostly.

Raven wasn't the type to get riled up about something without a cause. _There's a good chance that this is a result of my powers,_ she told herself.

_And if it is Trigon?_ said a voice in the back of her mind.

_Well...shit._

* * *

The Titans all woke up a little late the next morning, considering the events of the previous night. When they finally did haul themselves into the common room, there was a list awaiting them.

As promised, Celeste had sent over the details for what she envisioned the grand event to be like. Robin skimmed it, deciding to save it for when the rest of the team arrived. As usual, he was the first to rise. He had always been a morning person. There was something refreshing and hopeful about them.

Cyborg was the second to arrive. He joined him at the kitchen table.

"Morning," he said sleepily.

"Good morning," Robin returned. He had moved on to reading the newspaper, but had left the note in front of him.

"Is that from the mayor?"

"Yeah. I'll read it when everyone gets here." Robin continued to thumb through the paper.

"Sounds good." Cyborg paused for a moment. "You know, this whole thing is kinda weird. One minute we're fighting crime and the next minute we're party planners?"

Robin put down his paper. "I know. It makes me feel anxious. Like we have something better to be doing. But, its just something we have to do," he said with a shrug.

The common room doors slid open to reveal Starfire and Raven. As they entered, the conversation moved to lighter topics. No one said a word about what had happened last night.

When Beast Boy finally arrived, Robin began to read the note he had received.

"Good morning, Titans. I hope you all had a pleasant evening,"—the team grumbled—"as you will be very busy in the next few weeks.

"I wanted to thank you all for being cooperative. We truly feel that this will be of great benefit to us both. Now, in regards to the party, we have to remember our goal: to make you all seem responsible, personable, and mature. That means we need to invite anyone important in Jump City in addition to the major media outlets so that they can all see you on your best behavior. As we discussed yesterday, it will be a birthday celebration for Raven, but will also be a charitable fundraiser. All guests will be asked to make a donation in lieu of a gift to the newly-founded Titan's Scholars Organization, which gives scholarships to underprivileged students in Jump City."

"Uh, since when did we found a scholarship program?" Beast Boy interrupted.

"I think since the Mayor's office decided we needed something for our fundraiser to raise funds for," Raven answered cynically.

Robin ignored them and continued. "As for the preparation, we will take care of the guest list (though you are certainly welcome to send your invitation requests to me), the fundraising half, and the financing for this event. We want each of you to take an active role in planning and preparing for the party. That will impress the guests and give you something to talk about with them. However, since it is a party in Raven's honor, she is not allowed to lift a finger."

"WHAT?" Beast Boy exclaimed, interrupting Robin for the second time. "That's totally unfair!" he said with a scowl, but still Robin continued.

"One or more of you will have to take charge in each of the following areas: décor, refreshments, entertainment, scheduling, and an area I like to think of as a Titan's 'show and tell.' The guests will love to get an inside view of life as a Titan and the media will love to cover it. I suggest tours, question-and-answer segments, or even some sort of demonstration.

"The media will undoubtedly try and contact you regarding this event. I will request that you direct them to me and the Mayor's office. I'll take care of any press coverage for this." Robin looked at his team and could tell that this was going right over their heads. They were not detail-oriented, but Robin was pleased that Celeste seemed to be. They had that in common.

"Enclosed is an approximate budget for each area of the party planning and credit cards you may use to purchase what you need. I'm confident you'll use discretion in this matter. Keep in mind that we are aiming for a mature and elegant party. It will be black-tie. We'll be in touch."

Robin finished reading and for a moment they were silent. Then Starfire spoke up.

"Please, I wish to volunteer for the preparation of the food."

"NO!" they chorused passionately, fearing what the results would be if they let her loose in the kitchen to cook for hundreds of people.

"Uh, no offense Star, but I'll handle the food for the night," Cyborg jumped in quickly.

"No way! All you know how to cook is meat!" Beast Boy exclaimed, launching an argument. They raised their voices, all talking over one another.

"You know most people like meat..."

"... it'll be steak wrapped in bacon wrapped in..."

"Please, if I cannot do the cooking, perhaps..."

"... just because you and your froufrou tofu—"

"...and what am I supposed to do for two weeks? Knit?"

"GUYS!" Robin shouted over the clamor. "Enough!" That seemed to silence them for the moment. He took a deep breath, then began to hatch a plan. "Cyborg and Beast Boy will handle the food together, but I suggest getting it catered. You two will be a little busy that night, and I don't think people will want to eat anything made in that kitchen," he said, gesturing across the room. "You two are also in charge of the tours or whatever Celeste wants. Star, I think you'll be good with the decorations. The tower isn't exactly the picture of 'elegance.' I'll take care of entertainment and scheduling. Raven," he said, catching her look. "You... uh... go meditate or something." She glared at him, but he pointedly ignored her. "Everyone take a credit card and get started. I know this seems a little weird, but it's a job to do, and as Titans we'll get it done."

Cyborg and Beast Boy took off in search of paper and a pencil to create a list of hors d'oeuvres. Starfire flew up and around the room, surveying the space and making plans on how to beautify it. Robin searched around for his last teammate and found her already halfway up the steps.

"Raven," he called, taking a few long strides to close some of the distance between them. "I was serious about what I said before. Go relax. Meditate. I'm worried about you. You don't, uh,handle this kind of situation very well." He flinched a little under the glare she gave him. He couldn't help it. "What I mean is that this has got to be a little overwhelming for you."

Her face returned to its familiar deadpan expression, but Robin had grown adept at reading past that over the years. In the lines of her face and the window of her eyes, he could see stress and worry. But there was something more there. Something deeper that unsettled her.

"Thank you," she replied. "I will." Robin knew her tone. She was merely pacifying him. He watched her walk through the doors, presumably towards her room. _Something about her is definitely off_, he thought. And if he knew anything about Raven, he knew she would do everything in her power to keep him from finding out what.

* * *

Raven moved intuitively through the hallway, preoccupied with her thoughts. She was conflicted about the party. Listening to all of the gruesome, tedious details of the thing made her want to take a vacation anywhere that wasn't Jump City for the next two weeks. She deeply detested all of the fuss and fanfare that was certain to arise around the party. Didn't they realize it was all so trivial? And the thought of actually attending the party, of being forced into a dress and paraded around like a show and tell project... well, it made Beast Boy's original shot idea look like an attractive option.

_On the other hand,_ she thought, _this would be an excellent distraction_. She had spent too much time alone in her head lately, and now she was starting to feel the consequences of a lack of interaction. Last night came to mind, and she bit her bottom lip in frustration. Now she was starting to hallucinate. At the very least, the event would move her focus onto something lighter than usual.

Just as Raven reached her door, her stomach let out a growl. In all of the excitement of the morning, she had forgotten to eat breakfast.

She sighed, turning around and retracing her steps back to the kitchen. She walked distractedly towards the end of the hall and as she rounded the corner, she saw Beast Boy walking her way. As soon as he saw her, his face lit up in a smile.

"Hey Rae! What's up?" As they met in the middle of the hallway, he turned on his heel and began walking alongside of her. Raven kept her eyes forward as she continued down the hall.

"Nothing you should be concerned about," she replied cooly. She was cautious, uncertain of Beast Boy's purpose.

"You don't look like you're doing anything secretive. You look like you're heading back to the common room."

She stopped abruptly, causing Beast Boy to stumble a little in his attempt to stay beside her. She turned her head to look at him with one brow raised.

"Beast Boy."

"Raven."

"What do you want?"

He gave her a feigned look of offense. "What? Can't I just chat with my friend?"

"You never do." At that, Beast Boy's jovial attitude faltered. Feeling a small pang of hurt roll off of him, Raven backtracked. "I meant that... you're usually trying to get me to participate in some ridiculous game of yours," she recovered.

"Raven," he began, considerably more serious this time, "you know we're like family, right? You're like a sister to me. I would always want to talk to you. I'm sorry if I haven't. I always thought that I annoyed you."

_I just can't win, can I? _Raven thought. _Now he's going to want to 'chat' with me even more._ "You do," she countered, sending him a light look that brought the smile back to his face. "I didn't mean anything by that comment. I was just being defensive."

"Well, that's a relief!" Beast Boy stayed beside her as she resumed her journey towards the common room. "So, what are you doing?"

"Going to eat breakfast. Unless you wish to detain me for further questioning." She approached the sliding double doors and strode through them as they swished open, descending the stairs as Beast Boy called to her from the hallway.

"Nope, I'm off to the roof! See you later Rae!" He waved energetically at her as the doors slid shut.

Raven stared at the closed doors and couldn't help smiling at his antics. _See you later, Beast Boy._

Moving over to the kitchen area, Raven considered her options for breakfast. She opened the fridge, only to find two containers of leftover takeout, a gallon of expired milk, three bottles of beer and a container of yogurt. She frowned at the showing, reaching for the yogurt and hoping it was still good.

The lack of food was both good news and bad news to Raven as she dipped into the yogurt. The bad news was that she wouldn't get much of a breakfast this morning. The good news?

_Someone has to go grocery shopping,_ she thought, a small smile making its way to her face. _And I think I'm ready for a little time away from the tower._

* * *

Beast Boy had lied about going to the roof. Really, the whole encounter with Raven was nowhere near accidental, although Raven wasn't supposed to know that. _She's good,_ he conceded. _Not much gets past her._

After Raven had left the common room this morning, Robin called the other Titans back over.

"Has anyone else noticed that Raven's been a little off since our meeting with the mayor?" he asked the assembled three.

"Yeah, something's definitely up with that girl. Anyone else believe that what went down last night was just a nightmare?" Cyborg asked.

"No, and it wouldn't be the first time Raven's tried to hide something from us," Robin pointed out. "I know she's dreading this party. I want to make sure that's all there is to it." He paused for a minute, turning an idea over in his head. "Can someone else go talk to her? She clearly won't talk to me. Don't bring it up or anything, just hang around her and see if you notice anything unusual."

"Do you mean for us to spy on her?" Starfire questioned with round eyes.

"No! Well, actually kind of. Not really spying as much as 'observing,'" Robin said. "We just want to make sure she's okay," he added, calming the conflicted girl.

Beast Boy spoke up immediately. "I'll do it!" He caught Robin's skeptical look. "What? I'd be great at that. I'm always acting unpredictable, so she'd be less likely to notice anything weird."

"'Unpredictable' is one way of putting it..." Cyborg muttered.

Robin sighed. "Fine, Beast Boy. But don't freak her out. Just give her some company and maybe she'll open up to you," he suggested.

"Don't sweat it, I'll be fine," Beast Boy replied. "I'll report back any findings," he added, wiggling his eyebrows.

That was a very short ten minutes ago, and after his conversation with Raven he wasn't feeling so confident.

He trudged through his room, flopping down on his far outdated bunk bed and letting his feet dangle over the edge. He had been quick to volunteer for "Raven-watch," which hadn't surprised him much. Raven had been a mystery to him for a very long time—one he was just beginning to solve. Though she was known for being stoic, unexpressive, creepy, and having a short temper, the more he got to know her, the more he realized she was actually one of the funniest, smartest, most caring people he knew. She had an incredible grasp on others' emotions, though she had difficulty expressing hers. At the very least, she was unique. There was no one quite like Raven.

Although he knew she didn't feel the same way, Beast Boy actually enjoyed spending time with her. He could hang with Cy or Star or even Robin and have a good time, but their personalities were similar enough to his own. Raven was fun to be around because she was so different from himself. He never quite knew what to expect.

Beast Boy stared up at the top bunk, ruminating on these thoughts. He felt happy inside when he thought of their blossoming friendship. She was still verbally abusive to him, he was still obnoxious towards her, but they had grown to understand each other.

_Now,_ he thought, _I just have to find a way to spend some time with her._ He knew she was struggling, and he was convinced his lighthearted nature could help. He also knew that Raven was characteristically stubborn._ I know I can help her,_ he thought. _I just have to find a way to make her __let me._


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I have had this written for a few days and had meant to get it out earlier, but I experienced some technical difficulties. Kudos to my local Apple Store for helping me sort through my computer's issues! Future chapters will arrive much more quickly.

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 3**

After hastily finishing her yogurt, Raven returned to her room in search of the other two articles of clothing she owned besides her endless supply of leotards. The first was a pair of dark, indigo denim shorts, the second a black, long-sleeved v-neck top. She pulled them from the recesses of her bottom dresser drawer and slipped them on, finishing the ensemble with a pair of weather-appropriate black sandals. She then moved to a trunk and found the long box that held the final touch: the long black wig that would make her unrecognizable as a member of the Teen Titans.

As a general rule, the Titans didn't have secret identities. There really wasn't any need for them. They lived in a giant tower shaped like a "T" and worked as full-time crime fighters. There wasn't any normal life to go back to at the end of the day. Their identities as heroes weren't disguises—they really were who the Titans are.

Besides that, there was the difficulty of disguising Cyborg, who was half metal, Starfire, whose eyes were entirely green and whose skin was orange, and Beast Boy, whose green skin and fangs made it impossible to appear normal. Raven and Robin were the only two capable of blending in (though Raven still didn't look completely normal), but to Raven's knowledge Robin had never used an alternate identity. _Then again,_ Raven thought, _to his knowledge I rarely leave the tower alone, nonetheless disguised as an ordinary civilian. _

After removing the wig and running a brush through its long locks, Raven pinned back her own short purple hair and positioned it carefully on her head. It had been expensive, but Raven was willing to pay. The hair was soft and smooth and it was fairly comfortable to wear. It had straight-cut bangs that hid the jewel on her forehead and hair that hit halfway down her back. She wasn't thrilled with having to tame all of that hair, but the extra length helped disguise her face. She usually added a pair of black-rimmed glasses that had no prescription but also helped disguise her. They were a little less conspicuous than sunglasses.

In the getup she looked almost normal. Her pale, greyish skin still caught people's attention, but she had managed to keep the cover so far. Finally ready to leave, she took a deep breath, centered her energy, and chanted her mantra.

Instead of flying out of the tower and risk being seen, she exited the hard way. Teleportation wasn't easy on the mind, but it was discreet.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she chanted, visualizing her usual destination. Rather than risk being seen teleporting into the city, she transported herself to the edge of the forest that bordered the city and walked for a ways into the suburbs and towards the nearest bus stop. From there she took the bus to wherever she had set out to go. She knew that she probably went further out of her way than she needed to to keep up the ruse, but she secretly enjoyed the thrill of it.

Besides, acting normal made her _feel_ normal. The ability to stand in a crowd completely unnoticed, free to go about whatever she pleased was novel and liberating. She thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent as "Rachel Roth," the name she had given her adopted persona. Roth had been her mother's last name before she had left for Azarath.

Raven arrived in the clearing she usually did, assuming full corporeal form and pausing a moment to catch her bearings. She surveyed her surroundings, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the clean, woodsy air. She was completely alone in the serene little clearing, save for the assortment of woodland animals that scurried around in the forest. Raven let her mind wander out, sensing the creatures move through the woods. Just behind her there were three small rabbits, just shy of adulthood, snacking on a patch of clover. She could feel the birds—swallows, jays, wrens, and sparrows—all alive in the redwoods above her, singing and swooping and chasing each other through the branches. She felt badgers, deer, squirrels, turtles, foxes, even a stray cat, all dwelling in the living forest.

It was a rejuvenating feeling. There was a peace and a balance in this simple scene, generally untouched by mankind. The more Raven expanded her empathetic mind, the more power and tranquility flowed into it. She pushed it out further; fifty feet, then eighty, then one hundred, 150, 200, 350—and she reached pavement. The road that separated suburbia from the wilderness.

She sighed, remembering her purpose and feeling a swell of excitement for the trip to come. Opening her eyes, she began to walk towards the road. The cleansing feeling of the woods was always a treat—an added bonus to her anonymous trip into Jump City. As she reached the sidewalk, she looked around at the neighborhood. She was somewhat familiar with the neat, white, siding-covered houses. There was a peacefulness here too, though very different from that of the forest. This corner of suburbia felt safe and secure. People here trusted that they would always have cozy homes and loving families. _They're lucky,_ Raven thought with a twinge of longing. Security like that was foreign to her.

She scanned the road. About fifty feet to her right there were two mothers, each with a stroller in hand, pulled over on the sidewalk to chat. They took no notice of her. Other than those two, no one appeared on the street. Raven turned left and began to walk leisurely towards the bus stop, which was several blocks away. Most people in this part of town had cars, so bus stops were scarce, but Raven had chosen the clearing to teleport to because of its proximity to a stop.

As she moved, she thought about what she needed at the store. _Milk, eggs, waffle mix, bread, peanut butter, jelly, butter,_ she rattled off in her mind, moving through the staples._ I probably need some freezer meals as well; the boys will be too busy to cook this week._

Ironically enough (according to society's standards), the male team members were the only ones who cooked. Starfire evidently crafted her Tamaranean dishes to satisfaction, but Earth food was beyond her capabilities. Raven's culinary skills were dismal. That left Beast Boy, whose cooking was passable when it didn't include tofu, Robin, who could handle his own in the kitchen but was often otherwise occupied, and Cyborg, who did the majority of the meal preparation. The Titans shared the chores and responsibilities around the tower, but Cyborg was almost always the one to cook breakfast and dinner when they ate in. They were all on their own when it came to lunch.

This week, however, Raven figured they would need something easy to prepare. Ten minutes after her emergence from the clearing, she was on the fairly clean, odorless bus. _Definitely an east-end bus_, she thought, recalling the time she accidentally got on the wrong bus route and ended up in the worst neighborhood of Jump City. It wasn't one of her more pleasant experiences.

Her eyes floated around the vehicles interior, landing on an advertisement that clearly hadn't been changed in a while. It was a picture of none other than Annette Forbes, urging citizens to "Vote Forbes." The poster said the election date had been weeks ago. How did I miss that? Raven wondered. She had chided Beast Boy about his lack of political activism, yet she herself had had no idea who the Mayor was at the moment until they had met yesterday morning. Her brow furrowed as she silently scolded herself for her lack of attention.

Another thought came to her as she watched people pay for their bus fare as they boarded. She had no money on her, save for the scant collection of coins in her pocket she had used to pay her fare.

"Great," she muttered to herself, drawing a quizzical stare from an older woman sitting a few seats away from her. _Right,_ she scolded herself, _not normal to talk to yourself._ Raven did have her Titan bank card—she kept that and her communicator on her at all times. _Hmm,_ she thought, _where would the nearest ATM be?_ She relaxed as she realized that the Jump City Superstore was only a few blocks down from the Bank. _There will be an ATM right outside._

She waited patiently through two more stops before the bus reached the heart of downtown, Raven's destination.

As she stepped down out of the bus, she looked around fondly at the city's main street. She could see the pizza place where they always went to to celebrate their victories, her favorite book store, the small cafe she frequented dressed as her alternate persona, and Jump City Bank, up about a block from where she was standing, where they had foiled the plans of so many criminals. She turned and started walking towards it.

She approached she spotted the lone ATM outside the building and was pleased to see no line in front of it. That feeling ended abruptly when she saw the red sign taped over the front: "OUT OF ORDER—Please use machines inside." _Fantastic_, she sighed sarcastically.

Just as she turned towards the entrance, a noise rang out that sent a rush of adrenaline and fear through her from head to toe. Her communicator was ringing.

Her hands fumbled down to her pocket, frantically attempting to silence the device. Her mind ran through a list of obscenities that would make Beast Boy proud as the people around her turned to glance at her.

Surprisingly enough, they all looked away except for one, a tall guy who couldn't have been more than twenty-five.

"_You_ have the Teen Titans ringtone?" He asked playfully. "I wouldn't have thought a girl like you would be a fan."

Raven began to relax, coaching her features into a more stoic expression and trying to calm the jumpiness of her movements. His words sunk fully in. _Teen Titans ringtone? _she thought critically. _They've really turned our communicator's sound into a ringtone? _The man was still smiling at her, waiting for a reply. He was obviously flirting with her. Or attempting to, at least.

"Uh, yeah, I love those Titans," she managed unenthusiastically. She turned back towards the bank, but his voice stopped her.

"Raven!" he called, trying to keep the conversation alive. Raven froze again, feeling the heat burn in her face and neck.

"What?" she choked out, desperately trying to appear casual. She wasn't a very good actress.

"I bet your favorite Titan is Raven," he grinned, unfazed by her odd behavior. "You remind me of her, for some reason."

Relieved once more, Raven attempted to keep the flush from her face. She was getting impatient though, eager to get on with her task.

"Uh, look, I've really got to go," she replied, eyes turned towards the pavement as she began to move away from him.

"Oh, uh, sure thing!" he replied weakly. She felt his eyes on her back as she retreated into Jump City Bank.

Once inside, Raven immediately found a quiet corner of the fairly crowded bank. She turned to face a wall so that her back was to the crowd and pulled the communicator from her pocket. She held it close to her chest and hung her head forward so that her long hair fell down and concealed it. She was mentally berating herself for not shutting the volume off back at the tower. The communicator didn't silence itself easily; there was no volume switch on it. Raven had discovered that if she opened the back cover and pulled the cable that connected the speakers to the rest of the system, it would have the same effect. She did this now, preoccupied about what the rest of the team was paging her for. It was probably just to find out where she was, but even if it was crime-related, they were likely capable of handling it without her.

Slipping the communicator back into her pocket discreetly, she eyed the interior of the bank in search of the ATMs. They were all along the wall on the opposite side of the room. Raven began to cross the expansive marble floor, eager for this side trip to be over. She felt much more at ease in the grocery, which she had visited many times before.

She was about halfway across the bank's lobby when she heard the loud, tell-tale boom of an explosion. She turned, startled, just in time to hear a cackling laughter that was all too familiar. She caught sight of the gaudy blue magician emerging from the smoke at the bank's now destroyed entrance. He stood with arms outspread, a grin across his face.

That was when the screaming began. With Mumbo blocking the exit, there wasn't anywhere for the people to go, but the cried out and shouted and ran around the floor frantically to flee from the notorious villain. Most settled in on the edges of the room, eager to be out of the criminal's way.

Raven was still frozen in the center of the floor, mind reeling as she tried to decide what to do. Her instincts and training told her to fight, but her voice of reason screamed that that would blow her carefully-established cover.

"Someone call the Titans!" a man yelled over the chaos. _Of course_, Raven thought, mind clearing from its initial panic. _The Titans! That must be what they called me about earlier. Mumbo probably escaped from prison, which means they won't be far behind. _

It also meant that the situation would be taken care of without Raven (or Rachel's) help. Deciding to lay low and scramble like the rest of the bystanders, Raven turned and darted towards the wall. Before she got there, something slammed into her side, wrapping around her as she gasped and struggled. Looking down, she realized it was one of Mumbo's giant gloves.

"I asked for a volunteer from the audience, but since no one offered, I'll just have to take one!" Mumbo cackled, drawing the glove closer to him. He grinned at her, then his brow furrowed in confusion. "You look familiar," he said in his nasally voice. "Have we met before?"

_This just isn't my week,_ Raven thought.

* * *

There it is! Short, but better than nothing, right? PLEASE review, follow, favorite-whatever you want to do! Your feedback really does influence what and how I write. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

After all of her years fighting crime, Raven was a quick thinker in an emergency. Fear didn't paralyze her like it did others who didn't have to deal with it on a regular basis. So as she hung limp in Mumbo's giant glove, a million thoughts ran through her head.

_Oh shit, shit SHIT!_ was the first, rather ineloquent thought to float through her consciousness, though once she got a better hold on her initial rush of adrenaline, her thoughts moved to a more rational state. She realized she was staring eye-to-eye with Mumbo and quickly adverted her gaze downwards. _Purple irises are a dead giveaway, _she thought.

Then, as it seemed as if her cover would be blown, her mind ran through the outcomes and consequences that would follow. _As if I'm not strange enough, when word gets out that I've been going incognito as an ordinary civilian, I'll be the laughing stock of Jump City_, she thought. _And if he realizes who I am here, with all of these people around, word will definitely get out. _

Other than being thoroughly embarrassed, Raven would never be able to go out like this again. She did _not _want to jeopardize her opportunity to escape the superhero lifestyle for a moment. Which left her with only one option: to wait for the Titans like any other civilian.

She worked through all of this in about three seconds, during which Mumbo studied her with squinted eyes. _Should I say something?_ she thought with uncertainty. Luckily for her, his attention was diverted elsewhere.

"Freeze! Don't move, I mean it!" A security guard approached Mumbo apprehensively, gun in hand. Raven looked at the object closer. _Scratch that,_ she thought, taser_ in hand. Really?_ Raven tried not to roll her eyes. Mumbo grinned at the poorly equipped man.

"Don't even try to _shock_ me," he sneered, "I've been in the biz too long! I hold all the cards!" With that he let loose a deck of cards that, like his gloves, grew to life-size proportions. The began to run through the crowd, causing a frenzy among the terrified onlookers. Three or four of the cards occupied the guards attention.

Raven bit the inside of her cheek out of frustration, still conflicted about what action to take. _If someone gets hurt, it will be my fault,_ she thought. For the moment, the cards didn't seem to be doing much harm, merely frightening the poor people instead of attacking them. Raven struggled unsuccessfully against the glove once more before she gave up.

_Where the hell are the Titans?_ she thought angrily. _They should be here by now! If they're not here in the next thirty seconds..._

Mercifully, Robin's loud voice echoed through the hall, halting the action.

"The show's over Mumbo," he called menacingly, "and you're not going anywhere."

"Oh the Titans, what a treat! Wait a minute," he paused in confusion, "where's my little friend? You know, the one who hopped away!" He cackled at his reference to the time Raven spent as a rabbit.

"That's who we're here for," Robin replied, exuding malice.

"Where is she Mumbo?" Cyborg called out angrily.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mumbo said defensively. I thought you were here to see the show."

"Our locator says she's here, so you can drop the act, Mumbo," Cyborg said, gesturing to the screen on his arm. "Where are you hiding her?"

Raven could feel the color drain from her face. Her communicator. They knew without a doubt that she was somewhere in this bank.

_Think!_ She commanded herself. _How can I work my way out of this?_ Nothing came to mind. Too distracted by her internal panic, Raven had missed the rest of the conversation between Mumbo and the Titans. All she heard now was Robin's battle cry:

"Titans, GO!"

The fight began. Starfire launched herself at Mumbo, eyes blazing green and hands alight with starbolts. As she closed the distance between them, Mumbo shouted his magic words.

"Mumbo, Jumbo!" Out of his sleeves shot ropes of scarves that encircled Starfire and held her captive, disrupting her attack. Raven looked to the rest of the Titans, who were now surrounded by Mumbo's army of cards. They stood back-to-back in a triangle, fending of their attackers. Mumbo snickered and made a hasty exit towards the back of the bank, undoubtedly after the money in the vault. Raven's attention returned to her teammates.

Watching them move, she realized she could predict exactly how they would handle the situation: their response was like clockwork. _Now Robin will tell Beast Boy to help get everyone outside safely,_ she thought. A few seconds later, a green bird soared over the card army, landing on the opposite side of the room. _Then he'll tell Cyborg to finish of the cards as he goes after Mumbo._ Cyborg gave Robin a boost as he vaulted over the circling cards. Robin sprinted towards the vault.

Raven caught sight of Beast Boy darting through the crowd, shouting and pointing towards the exit. The crowd all too eagerly obliged, everyone quickly funneling towards the exit as they tried to avoid the Titan's battle with the cards. Beast Boy then began directing the traffic on her side of the room. Some people pointed at her, suspended ten feet off the ground in Mumbo's glove. Beast Boy nodded at them and started in her direction.

Once again, Raven paled. _Just keep your head down. Look inconspicuous!_ she commanded herself, though the situation looked futile. Suddenly another thought struck her. _My communicator!_ She realized, remembering that she hadn't resolved that issue yet. In a moment of logic, she realized that they did not, in fact, know that she was in the bank. They knew her communicator was.

Arms bound in the gloves, she couldn't separate the device from herself physically. That left her telekinetic powers to do the job for her. She visualized Mumbo and sent her empathy out after him, finding him sparring with Robin in the back room. It used a lot of energy, but the adrenaline helped fuel her.

Taking a deep breath, she used her remaining energy to teleport her communicator from her pocket to a spot on the floor near the vault entrance. Robin could speculate and draw some incorrect conclusion about what it was doing there. Satisfied that that was taken care of, she opened her eyes and fought back the dizziness and fatigue that came from using too much power at once without proper concentration. She looked around, finding that most of the crowd had cleared out. Beast Boy stood directly below her and was shouting something.

"...you doing ok? I promise, we'll find a way to get you down!"

There was no need. All of the cards went still, then vanished into thin air. Suddenly, Raven was falling, too tired to do much about it. She landed with a thud into something sturdy and warm. She looked up into Beast Boy's face, realizing he had caught her in his arms. He smiled at her, then set her on her feet.

"Yeah!" she heard cyborg holler. "Robin must have taken Mumbo down!"

"Glorious!"

Beast Boy returned his attention to Raven and opened his mouth to say something, but his smile turned into a look of confusion. He looked at her quizzically for a moment as Raven's heart hammered in her chest. His eyes widened in recognition.

"Ra—" he began, and Raven did the only thing she could think to do. She threw her arms around him, knocking the wind out of him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you so much for saving me!" she choked out with such poorly feigned enthusiasm and high pitch that Beast Boy had to bite back his laughter. She brought her lips to his ear.

"Don't tell them _anything_," she hissed. "I'll explain later." Without another word, she turned and darted through the destroyed entrance, eager to find the nearest alleyway and teleport herself home.

* * *

It took the team about twenty minutes to make it back to the tower. After handing over a hatless, powerless Mumbo to the authorities, they all made a bee line for the T-car.

"Alright team, we still have one Titan missing with no explanation," Robin began after sliding into the passenger seat. "We traced Raven's signal into the Bank after she didn't answer her communicator, and I think I've figured out why." Beast Boy's eyes grew wide. _Did Robin see her?_ he wondered. He watched as Robin pulled a communicator from his belt.

"Is that Raven's?" Cyborg asked, to which Robin gave a nod.

"Well we searched Mumbo and the Bank and Raven was nowhere to be found. I think it's safe to say she wasn't there," Cyborg speculated, his face hinting of frustration and confusion.

_Humph, that's what you think._ Beast Boy knew it was kind of cruel, letting his friends worry like this, but Raven was safe and sound, probably back at the Tower by now. The situation was kind of comical, at least in his mind.

As instructed, he wouldn't divulge Raven's secret. He was too curious about her explanation. Plus, an experienced pro like himself could just smell the blackmail in this.

"I found her communicator near Mumbo when we were fighting. He must have dropped it," Robin continued.

"But why would the Mumbo have Raven's communicator and not Raven?" Starfire asked with concern.

"Uh, guys?" Beast Boy interrupted. "I know I'm not the best with theories, but aren't we just kinda assuming that Raven's in some kind of trouble just because she didn't have her communicator with her? I mean, what if she just lost it or it was stolen and she's perfectly fine. If she didn't have it, no wonder she wasn't answering our call. She probably doesn't even know it's gone."

The air in the car relaxed considerably. No, they hadn't considered that because as superheroes, they usually expected the worst.

"Oh, I do hope we are concerned without cause!" Starfire said.

"Yeah, I hope so too, Star," Cyborg added.

"Still, our first priority when we get back home is to find Raven," Robin said with his usual determination.

Questions lingered on Beast Boy's mind. _What was she doing there in the first place? What did this have to do with Mumbo? How did he get a hold of her communicator? Where did she get those clothes?_

One thing was for sure. _She is _so _busted,_ Beast Boy thought with a grin.

* * *

Raven laid motionless on her back, supported by her comfortable bed as she sorted through what had just happened. She didn't have time to meditate, though she certainly would have liked to. The rest of the Titans would return any moment now, and she had to concoct an airtight explanation as to her disappearance.

Of course, that was probably unnecessary, as Beast Boy had probably already told them all everything he had seen. _Did it have to be him?_ Raven wondered with a sigh. Robin would have been curious, but would have respected her privacy, as would Cyborg. Starfire even would be thrilled to have secret between "bff's," especially one that involved non-uniform clothing. But Beast Boy? He couldn't keep a secret to save his life. The day was still young. There was still a chance that he would somehow get this on the evening news.

Always one to be prepared, Raven ran through plausible explanations in case, by some miracle, Beast Boy hadn't told the team. _I was at the bookstore. I just arrived back about fifteen minutes before you did. What happened?_ She determined that for once, playing dumb might just work for her.

At the edge of her psychic mind, she felt their presences entering the tower. She quickly fastened the clasp on her cloak and floated down towards the common room, taking a book with her to attempt to back up her lie.

The large metal doors slid open. Upon entering, she looked around quickly at her teammates. Cyborg was in the kitchen, grabbing a bite to eat (he couldn't work on an empty stomach, could he?) and Robin was at the main computer, typing rapidly as Starfire paced behind him. Beast Boy lounged on the couch. They all looked up at the sound of the door opening.

Look casual, she commanded herself, levitating down the stairs and towards the fridge.

"Raven," they all said at once, some with relief, some with confusion, other green ones with a smug, expectant tone. Then the interrogation began.

"Where have you been?" Robin asked, a slight note of accusation in his voice. Which meant...

_Beast Boy kept his mouth shut,_ Raven thought with surprise.

"I was at the Bookstore," she began as planned. "I got back about five minutes ago. Why? What happened?" She even added a note of concern on the end. She was pleased with her falsehood.

"Oh, Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. "The Mumbo escaped from prison and went to steal from the bank of money and we called you to assist in our pursuit and you did not answer so we went to the bank and fought the Mumbo and found your communicator and we were fearful he had kidnapped you but he did not and you are here and safe with your friends!" she explained on one breath. She finished her monologue with one of her signature, bone crushing hugs.

"That's enough," Raven drawled, head swimming as she tried to process Starfire's account. She turned towards Robin after she was released. "You found my communicator?"

Robin pulled it from his belt. "Here. I found it on the Bank floor when I was fighting Mumbo. Have any idea how it got there?"

Raven pursed her lips and shook her head no. "I thought it was with me all day. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you."

"Oh, it was a most easy battle. Please, let me tell you all of the details of it!" Starfire began, drawing in a deep breath in preparation for her litany.

"Don't worry Star," Beast Boy said, getting up from the couch and heading towards the door, "she didn't miss a thing." He gave Raven a pointed look before walking out the door.

* * *

After excusing herself from Starfire's recollection of the battle (which she insisted _was _important for Raven to hear), Raven made her way directly to Beast Boy's room, where she presumed he was waiting for her. He may have saved her from the scrutiny of the rest of the team, but she was sure he would want answers for himself. _And he'll want a good laugh at my expense,_ she thought sourly.

She approached his door cautiously, lightly tapping her knuckles against the metal three times. Beast Boy was at the door in seconds, a goofy grin spread across his face.

"Come in," he said teasingly, gesturing widely as he moved aside.

Raven marched through the door with all of the calm and confidence she could muster. She was _not_ looking forward to this.

She would have liked to have sat down, but there really wasn't any surface that was free from the clutter of Beast Boy's room. She turned back to face him, arms crossed and her typical deadpan expression carefully arranged on her face.

Beast Boy, on the other hand, was clearly fighting to keep the grin off of his. He was mostly unsuccessful in that endeavor. He had the upper hand in this arena, and he knew it.

Raven made the bold decision to start the conversation. "I really have better things to do than rehash this with you, so I'll be brief. Yes, that was me at the bank." She sighed, unhappy to admit what was coming next but resigned to the fact that she would have to tell him the truth. "Occasionally, I will leave the tower and dress as an ordinary citizen. I do normal things like go to the bookstore, a restaurant, or run errands. I enjoy the space being unrecognizable gives me when I'm in public," she elaborated, catching his curious expression. "I was stopping by the bank for cash to buy groceries when Mumbo attacked."

"So you being there was entirely coincidental?" he asked dubiously.

"It was poor timing," she conceded.

"So how did you end up in the glove?"

"Also coincidental. Mumbo caught me by chance. He didn't know it was me."

Beast Boy considered this. "Remind me not to let you pick my lottery numbers this week," he said lightly. "You seem to have some pretty crappy luck right now."

She scowled at him, but he continued his inquisition. "So how did Mumbo end up with your communicator?"

This part was easier for Raven to talk about. Her plan with the communicator had worked itself out nicely. She was pleased with her quick thinking.

"He didn't. I planted it in the middle of the battle. Robin assumed what I thought he would, that Mumbo had taken it." Raven stared at Beast Boy, gauging his reaction carefully .

"Are you satisfied with that explanation?" she questioned.

"Mostly," he replied, face breaking into a grin once more. "I'm just curious about that getup with the wig. How long have you been doing that?"

"For a few months," she replied tersely. She sighed, sensing he wouldn't cease without more details. "I know that it seems strange, but sometimes I just need time away from all of _this_," she said, gesturing around her at the tower. "I like you all and I like being a hero, but sometimes I just need to feel... normal. Normality is not something I've experienced much of." She was quieter and softer when she spoke so candidly.

Beast Boy wore a thoughtful expression. "I don't think it's strange," he said after a moment. "Actually, I feel the same way sometimes. I love being a Titan, but I like to be a teen too," he replied. "Well, now we're actually more like 'young adults' or whatever you want to call us—"

"I get your point," Raven said gently with a corner of her lips upturned.

"Sometimes I just need to play video games or go to the park or hang out with my friends," he said, giving a cautious smile. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that... I understand."

Raven was a little surprised. She hadn't expected hime to be so serious and thoughtful and... _supportive_, she thought. She felt her face and her body relax and allowed her lips to turn up in a soft smile. "Thank you," she said genuinely. "It means a lot to me that you'll keep this a secret."

At that, Beast Boy's lips turned up in a mischievous way that made Raven's stomach clench. "Wait just a minute there," he said, face alight. "Who said anything about keeping this from the rest of the Titans?" He asked.

Raven's smile was gone, replaced with a look of disbelief.

"I thought... you said..." she stuttered, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I said I understood why you did it. But if you want me to keep your little secret, it's going to cost you," he taunted devilishly.

Raven sighed, her appreciation of his earlier maturity gone. This was more like what she had expected.

"What do you want?" she ground out impatiently.

"Let me think," he said, tapping his chin theatrically. "First, you can take my dish duty this week."

Raven glared at him, but stayed silent. When Beast Boy determined it was safe for him to continue, he pursed his lips in concentration and wondered aloud.

"Let's see... oh!" His face lit up with an idea. "I just want to say that this idea of you not helping with this party and letting us do all of the work is total bullshit." Raven rolled her eyes, seeing where this was going. "Soooo, you have to help me with my job for the next two weeks!" He wore a smug look that Raven wanted to smack off of his face.

Raven sighed. _What choice to I have?_ Besides, it could have been much worse. If the roles were reversed it would be...

"Fine," Raven conceded, keeping her voice level and calm. "I assume you know better than to tell Robin about this agreement. He won't be happy if he finds out."

"My lips are sealed!" Beast Boy eagerly assured her.

"They better be," she said menacingly. She turned to leave, stalking past Beast Boy towards the door.

"Oh, Raven!" he called out after her as she moved through the doorway and down the hall. "Don't forget that preparation for your _gala_ starts tomorrow!" Raven rolled her eyes as she retreated back to her room, though a slight smile played at her lips.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Here we are, round five! This story is going to be a _lot_ longer than I had anticipated. I'm just having so much fun writing it! I really hope you are enjoying it as well. If you are (or even if you're not) PLEASE review and follow! I appreciate your support and what you have to say. You can even review without a FF account!

I also wanted to establish that this is not a fluffy piece, though it will have fluffy moments (because I just can't help myself). The way I have this in my head, it's going to be like the _Silver Linings Playbook_ of fan fiction—it doesn't really have a genre. Maybe by the end it will find its way into one!

Last but not least a HUGE thanks to all who have followed, favorited, or reviewed already. You make me feel warm and fuzzy inside!

XOXO Gwen

Disclaimer: Just in case you forgot, I still don't own Teen Titans. Pity.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

'Tomorrow' came much, much earlier than Raven would have liked. Her clock read 6:15 am when she heard a loud, urgent knock on her door. Assuming something must be wrong for someone to need her at this hour, Raven jumped out of bed, fastened her clock, and threw open the door.

What she found was a very smug, mischievous looking Beast Boy.

"What?" Raven asked hotly, glaring at Beast Boy's grinning countenance as she realized this was _not_, in fact, an emergency.

"I told you yesterday that we have a busy day ahead of us," he said, almost giddy with the enjoyment he was getting from this.

"What could we possibly have to do at _six in the morning_," Raven asked scornfully.

"According to my watch, it's six twenty," he corrected. "And we have a meeting with a bakery about desserts."

Watching his ridiculous expression, it all clicked into place in Raven's mind. _He got me up at the ass-crack of dawn on purpose to irritate me. And because of the blackmail, he knows I can't do anything about it._

"Beast Boy," she asked with feigned pleasantry, "is there any particular reason we're up at 6:00 for a meeting?"

"Well the meeting's at seven," he said, like it was obvious. "You know those bakers, up early to, well... bake things. For the day." He backed up from the doorway, body language signaling he was about to go. "This was the best time for them, on such short notice. We wouldn't want to inconvenience them."

With that he turned and strolled down the hallway towards the elevator, clearly expecting her to follow. She stayed put for a moment, scowling at his back. Attempting to quell her resentment, she sighed and began to float after him.

* * *

For his twentieth birthday, Cyborg had given Beast Boy the gift of his dreams; he had finally built the long-imagined B-ped. It was sleek, fast, and well-equipped, just like the other Titan vehicles. For a good month, Beast Boy had driven _everywhere_ on it, even alongside the T-car when the group traveled together. Now, it was lucky to be used once a month.

After the newness had faded (and after a large quantity of harassment and teasing from the media), Beast Boy went back to flying mostly everywhere, or catching a ride with Cy.

Today, though, was supposed to have a lot of high-altitude winds that Beast Boy was too lazy to attempt to fly through. Besides, it always dried out his skin. _A celebrity's always gotta keep up his good looks_, he justified to himself.

He walked into the garage and hopped on the moped, jamming the key into the ignition. The vehicle grumbled quietly to life. He turned and looked back at the door, where Raven stood, arms crossed and frowning. He patted the seat behind him, grinning at her displeased expression. "Hop on."

Raven stared at him. "There's no way in hell I'm riding on that thing," she said flatly.

"Fine, suit yourself." Beast Boy shrugged. "Have fun flying there in fifty mile per hour winds,or teleporting to a completely unknown location." He glanced smugly at her out of the corner of his eye as he pretended to mess with the moped. He knew he was only doing this to push her buttons, but he was having too much fun to stop.

Beast Boy had been looking for a way to get closer to Raven, and help her through whatever she was feeling right now. With this blackmail, he had found one. Did he really think that Raven should help with her party? Mostly. But more importantly, they would get very friendly over the next two weeks when they had to spend so much more time than usual together. Or they would kill each other. He hoped it was the former.

Beast Boy wasn't a phycologist, but he felt like what Raven needed was a little lighter world. She was so serious and so down all of the time. He wanted to pull her up and help her be happy more often, but he knew he would have to shove her in that direction; she wouldn't go willingly. Based on experience, the best way to inspire change in Raven was to take her out of her comfort zone. _Thus, operation 'Get-the-stick-out-of-Raven's-ass' has begun,_ he thought with excitement.

As he waited for her reaction, Beast Boy grew nervous. _Maybe I'll have to amp up the blackmail threat_, Beast Boy thought, watching her stare crossly at him. He was relieved when she broke her glare and started to move.

Finally relenting, Raven marched across the garage floor and plopped down on the back of the moped, clearly irritated. She still had her arms crossed.

"Uh, Rae?" He smirked. "You might want to hang on."

"What, afraid I'll fall off at the blazing twenty miles per hour this thing moves at?" she retorted.

Beast Boy chuckled as he opened the garage door. Oh, she's just asking for it, he thought. As soon as the door was open enough for them to fit under it, he jammed his foot down on the accelerator. The speedometer on the moped reached about 120 miles per hour, so figured eighty was fairly safe. The bike lurched forward and Beast Boy felt Raven's frantic hands grasping at his shirt, pulling herself close to him and clinging to him for dear life.

As he rocketed out of the tunnel that lead from the garage to the rocky shore of the island, he engaged the hover jets that he had insisted Cyborg include. At the end of the tunnel, there was a thirty foot drop off from the rocky wall that contained the hidden entrance to the swirling sea below. Beast Boy let them drop about twenty of them before he fully activated the jets. Soon they were racing over the bay water towards Jump City, wind whipping around their heads.

Beast Boy heard Raven yell something at him, but he couldn't make out a word of what she was saying.

"What?" he called back to her, and again heard the sound of her voice, no clearer than before.

"I can't hear you!" he called back obnoxiously. He felt one of the arms wrapped around his chest leave, then yelped as Raven smacked him upside the head.

"Yep," he called back, "got that one!"

They were across the bay now, approaching Jump City. Beast Boy pulled on the handlebars and soared upwards, landing expertly on the nearest expressway. He looked at the speedometer and realized he was speeding by twenty miles per hour. He slowed down to seventy five.

They had to ride the highway out until they reached the other side of town, so Beast Boy took a moment to enjoy the ride. That was when he became more conscious of he passenger straddling the seat behind him. She was pressed tightly against him, her arms wrapped firmly around his torso. Beast Boy blushed at the contact and remembered that the reason she held him s tightly. He slowed down another ten miles per hour, feeling slightly guilty.

Beast Boy took the appropriate exit and leaned into the curve of the ramp that deposited them onto the far east side of eighth street. They rode for about a minute until they reached traffic at a stand-still.

"Aww, really?" Beast Boy checked his communicator. "It's 6:45, what's the holdup? We're gonna be late!" Raven's hand left his chest and went up to her temple. He turned around to look at her, watching as she closed her eyes and concentrated.

"It's a combination of the beginning of rush hour and construction up ahead," she informed him, eyes never opening. Beast Boy turned back around huffed a sigh of irritation. Then he eyes the sidewalk next to him, and an idea popped into his head. A bad idea, but one too irresistible to pass up. He turned the moped to the right and eased it up over the curb.

"Beast Boy?" Raven said with a twinge of fear in her voice. Beast Boy jammed his foot on the accelerator again.

They were flying down the sidewalk, dodging startled pedestrians, bus stops, street vendors and other obstructions. Beast Boy weaved expertly around the obstacles, hoping Raven would be impressed with his driving. That proved unlikely, as, at these lower speeds, he could hear some of what she was yelling at him.

"Beast Boy you idiot! Get off the sidewalk! I can't believe..." Beast Boy decided to tune her out. He noticed people with cameras and smartphones snapping away as they flew by. Beast Boy waved and made hand gestures to them until he remembered he was supposed to be behaving himself.

They were quickly approaching was appeared to be the construction site. They were working on the sewers in some capacity and had the two rightmost lanes and the sidewalk torn up.

As they saw them approach, more and more people began recording the spectacle on various devices. _Screw good behavior,_ he thought mischievously. _They want a show? Let's give them one._ He didn't slow down as they approached the site.

"Beast Boy?" Raven's voice filled his ears, an equal mix of anger and uncertainty.

Beast Boy didn't respond.

"Beast Boy?!" she shouted again, her arms forming a death grip around his chest as they reached the uneven pavement of the sidewalk. They flew between two of the bright orange cones surrounding the area and began their bumpy journey over the cracked pavement.

To Beast Boy, it was like motocross. He dodged and weaved and jumped over cracks, construction materials and machinery. He laughed and yelled and cheered as he felt the bike jerk and swerve.

"Ce-leste is go-nna k-kill us!" Raven screamed at Beast Boy, voice choppy as the bike shook violently. A part of his brain that must have been logic told him that this was indeed a _very_ bad idea. But, as was consistent with his impulsive nature, Beast Boy ignored it.

Up ahead, Beast Boy saw that a slab of pavement was twisted up at about a fifty degree angle. Smile widening, he thrust down on the accelerator, fully intending to ramp it. As the bike flew up into the air, Raven let out her distinctive scream. Beast Boy thought he heard his name and a few obscenities, but he wasn't sure.

They soared over the rest of the construction zone and and landed harshly, bike swerving and leaning until they regained their balance. Beast Boy veered left to put them back on the now clear roadway. He sped along calmly, wide smile still in place.

They pulled into a parking space near the "Belle Boulangerie"a few minutes later. Beast Boy put down the kickstand and turned off the bike. He went to get up when he realized he still had something attached to his back.

"Raven?" He turned around to look at her. Her eyes were glowing black and her teeth were gritted. He fought off the intimidation. _She can't hurt me,_ he assured himself, still a little nervous. _I've got the power here. _After finding his confidence, he smiled at her.

"Remember," he sing-songed, "If you want me to keep your little secret, you can't complain." Her expression remained lethal, but her eyes ceased to glow and she kept her mouth shut. She loosened her death drip on Beast Boy, allowing him to dismount the moped. He checked his communicator once more.

"Great!" he beamed. "Five minutes early!" He held out a hand to help Raven off of the vehicle, but she pointedly ignored it. It really was windy out—huge gusts blew down the street, whipping everything about. He glanced at Raven, whose cloak billowed around her and whose hair blew in the breeze.

They walked down to the bakery, which was clearly a city favorite judging by its size and overhead. _Google, you've done well,_ Beast Boy thought, satisfied with his selection. As they approached, he made a show of opening the door for Raven, which she acknowledged only with an eye roll.

The bakery was just waking up, with a few customers purchasing muffins, bagels, and assorted pastries. They made their way to the counter, where a young girl stood, waiting to help them.

"Hi! We're here for a meeting with the catering coordinator," Beast Boy said.

"Alright, just a minute!" the girl said, far too perky for this hour. She went into the back and returned with an older woman with greying blonde hair and a friendly countenance.

"Hello!" she called to them. "I'm Wendy, it's a pleasure to meet you both! Come on back to my office!" They followed the woman back to a tiny square office with a desk, two chairs, and a collection of filing cabinets. She took a seat behind the desk and motioned for the two to sit.

"I'm so glad I was able to be here to meet with you all." She smiled, "I know you all must have crazy schedules, but I was surprised when you requested to meet so early in the morning."

Beast Boy felt the color rise to his cheeks, but he kept his gaze solidly on the woman in front of him. In his peripheral vision, he could see Raven turned all the way over in her chair to glare at him. _Oops,_ he thought. _Busted._

"Yes well, you know, people to see, criminals to fight," he laughed hesitantly. "So, uh, anyway, we're having this 'gala' thing for Raven's birthday," he said, jabbing a finger at the simmering girl next to him, "and we'd like for you guys to do the desserts."

"Excellent! Now, what do you think you'll be needing?"

"Oh, well, probably a cake, because it is her birthday and all, and, um..." he trailed off, brow furrowed in hesitation. "Actually, other than the cake I have no idea. We don't really do very many galas."

"Alright, well we'll typically serve petite, individual desserts along with the cake. How many will you be expecting?"

"I'd say about 200," Beast Boy replied. Raven visibly paled.

"_200?_" she stuttered.

"Yep! I talked with Celeste last night," Beast Boy said, proud of his foresight.

"Okay, you're going to need a really big cake!" Wendy said. "So I have cake and desserts for 200."

"That sounds good," Beast Boy said, standing to leave. "Thanks!"

"Whoa, wait a minute there!" Wendy exclaimed. "You still have to pick out the cake, decide what individual desserts you want, and how you want the set-up to look! I'll be right back with some menus," she said as she rose, returning back out to the bakery.

Beast Boy and Raven looked at each other.

"Well, this ought to be fun," Raven said sarcastically. Beast Boy burst out laughing, which he tried to smother with his hand. They were both thinking the same thing: they were so not qualified to be doing this.

"At least I'm not alone," Beast Boy said, grinning at Raven. And on this rare occasion, Raven returned the smile.

* * *

An hour later, after going through countless books and menus, filling out several forms, and convincing Beast Boy that they did _not _need two chocolate fountains, an overwhelmed Raven and her teammate emerged from the bakery, eagerly checking the first item off their party to-do list. Beast Boy sat on his moped and turned the engine on, watching as Raven maintained her distance on the sidewalk.

"Nope," she said firmly. "No way." She was still recovering from the trip here. That was the first and last time she was letting Beast Boy drive her anywhere.

"Suit yourself, I'm riding this bad boy home!"

Raven narrowed her eyes at him, then turned to the brick wall of the building next to them. With a chant of her mantra, she opened a swirling black portal back to the garage of Titan's Tower. She raised a glowing hand and encased his moped in her black energy, pulling the bike and its rider towards the portal.

"Hey!" Beast Boy exclaimed in protest, but the rest of his complaint was cut off as he disappeared inside the portal. Raven, shaking her head, followed behind him. The portal vanished as she stepped through to the tower.

* * *

Neither Titan had noticed the man standing across the street, watching their every move.

He was tall and lean with an unassuming air about him. He was standing on the corner, smoking a cigarette. He was young, no more than twenty five, and had fine, dirty blonde hair. He had been following Raven for days.

He had talked to her yesterday, outside of Jump City Bank. He had helped her keep her cover, but he knew it was her all along.

Now, he kicked his foot against the sidewalk, dropping his cigarette into an ashtray as he stared at the spot on the wall the two had just disappeared into.

_Annette's probably going to want an update,_ he thought, turning towards the nearest train station.

It was a long thirty minutes to City Hall during rush hour, where he was bumped and pushed against the abundance of other passengers on the subway. Already, he was craving another cigarette.

Once he arrived, he slipped up two flights of stairs to the back entrance to the Mayor's office. From the outside, it was a locked door marked 'Custodial,' but James had the key. Slipping into the dark hallway, he sauntered down the short corridor to the entrance. From this side it looked like a wall-length panel with a lock. It was actually one of the bookcases that lined four of the walls of Annette's office.

He pushed it open and slipped quietly inside the office. Annette looked up from her papers.

"There you are, James," she said quietly. "It's been a while. I was wondering when you would show up." She was always curt with him. "What have you got?"

"No signs of anything abnormal yet," he replied. "Though yesterday she dressed up like a civilian, with a wig and everything, to go to the bank. Today she went with Beast Boy to a bakery. But no, there's nothing like what you're looking for."

The mayor pursed her lips. "That's odd. According to the Church of Blood, he's coming soon." She sighed, "We've worked so hard to get here, to the Mayor's office, to this position of power, so that we could stop him. So we could protect this city and this planet. I just hope we'll be able to stop it in time."

James' eyes softened at her worry. "We'll do what has to be done," he reassured her.

Annette, whose gaze had wandered to the window, turned her eyes back on him. Her voice was soft. "You know that when the time comes, you'll have to do it." She watched him with calculating eyes, assessing his reaction. "You will have to kill Raven."

His face hardened in determination and resolve. "I know," he said, just as quietly, though intensity played in his voice. "Trigon cannot be allowed to rise again."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Here's the next chapter! I want to say that every time I see someone has followed or favorited the story and every time I read your kind, encouraging words, my heart melts a little bit! Seriously, thank you so much for reading! It makes me very happy! :)

XOXO Gwen

Disclaimer: Not only do I not own the Teen Titans, but I also don't own any brand names or trademarks mentioned in this story!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

After the excitement of the morning, the afternoon passed slowly for Beast Boy. Not accustomed to rising before ten, he found himself with an abundance of time and not much to do in it. After finishing the last episode of _Family Guy_ on the DVR, Beast Boy was once again looking for something to do.

Cyborg, his usual cure for boredom, was busy cleaning the tower.

"If we're giving tours, this place needs some work," Cyborg had said yesterday, to which Beast Boy wholeheartedly agreed. No one needed to see the clutter of five twenty-something-year-old roommates. However, when it came to actually cleaning the mess, Beast Boy drew the line.

"Yeah dude, the tower is a mess. Good luck cleaning it," Beast Boy replied from the couch.

"Whoa, now! Excuse me? Why do you think you get a pass on cleaning? Most of the mess in here is yours!" Cyborg said, narrowing his eyes at his teammate.

"That just proves that I'm not going to be any help when it comes to cleaning all that crap."

Cyborg stared at him, slightly incredulous. "So you're sayin' you expect me to turn into 'Cyborg's Maid Service?'"

Beast Boy sighed, turning his full attention to his friend. "Look, if you make the tower presentable for whatever tours we're supposed to be giving, I'll take care of all the food. I'll even let you order some meat dishes from that steakhouse you like," he conceded in response to Cyborg's look of protest. "Sound fair?"

"No," he said flatly. "But you're right about one thing: I don't trust _you_ to clean anything. So I guess that means your plan's gonna have to work." He gave Beast Boy a dubious look. "But I am _not_ going in your room."

Beast Boy assumed he was working on the training room today. He had seen him headed that way earlier after he had finished removing the mold from the refrigerator. _He's a brave soul,_ Beast Boy thought, _making a sacrifice for the greater good._

Meanwhile, Starfire had bounced around from store to store all afternoon, coming home with more shopping bags than Beast Boy had thought possible for one person to carry. She was currently at the kitchen table, flipping through décor catalogs while humming to herself.

The doors swished open and Robin walked in, glancing around the room until his eyes landed on Beast Boy.

"There you are," he began. "Can I see you in the evidence room for a minute?" His face looked... _passively unhappy_, Beast Boy determined. It wasn't a bad sign, but it definitely wasn't good.

"Sure," he replied without confidence. He followed Robin silently down the hall towards Robin's favorite room. Beast Boy had always thought the evidence room was kind of creepy with its dim lighting and cool atmosphere, and now that only added to Beast Boy's apprehension. "So, uh, what do you need?"

Robin looked at him cooly for a moment, then sighed. "I've been on the phone all morning with the mayor's office. And do you know what they've been doing all day?" He paused, signaling to Beast Boy that the question wasn't entirely rhetorical. Beast Boy shook his head meekly. "They've been trying to convince the news stations to pull _this_ from their evening broadcast tonight." He held out his communicator, which played a short video of he and Raven's joyride over the construction zone this morning. Beast Boy bit his lip.

"Now, when I first saw this, I thought 'what was Beast Boy thinking!?' I knew the answer was, 'he wasn't.' Then I saw Raven on the back of the moped and didn't even know what to think," he said, giving Beast Boy a displeased frown. "Please tell me this is some twisted way of 'checking up' on Raven like you promised you would."

"It was," Beast Boy said quickly, jumping to his own defense. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I've got this all planned out in my head."

"And how does an illegal and quite frankly dangerous trip across a construction zone fit into that plan?" Robin asked.

"Uh, well... okay, here's the thing. I was trying to find a way to spend more time around Raven to get her out of whatever mood she's in right now and suddenly I had this blackmail over her—don't ask," he said when Robin raised a brow, "but anyway I told her she had to help me with all of my party planning stuff and this morning we were going to a bakery to order the dessert when... _that_ happened." He twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I was just trying to get her to loosen up a little and have fun. I didn't mean to cause a scene, I promise!"

Robin sighed again. "That's what I figured. Contrary to what Raven says, I know you're not that stupid."

"Uh, thanks, I think," Beast Boy said, giving him a small smile.

"Just, _please_ don't do anything that reckless again. I spent the whole morning placating Celeste."

"So you're, uh, not mad?"

Robin looked at him intently. "I value my team's well-being above anything else. If that conflicts with what the mayor wants, then so be it."

"Uh, cool." Beast Boy shifted uncomfortably in the silence that followed. "So, nice talking to you," he said, moving towards the door.

"Did it work?" Robin asked from his place at the table.

"Uhh..."

"Did your stunt make Raven any calmer?"

Beast Boy considered the question. "Yeah," he replied. "I think so." He remembered Raven's furious expression as they got off the moped. _Well, it worked out in the end._ "I've still got a lot of work to do though," he added, and he couldn't help but smile. "She'll come around. I know she will."

Robin seemed reassured. "Good. I'm glad to hear it. I'll see you tomorrow for training Beast Boy," he said, turning back towards the spray of papers on the table.

"See ya," Beast Boy called back, moving out the door.

Beast Boy considered the conversation as he returned to the common room. _Did it help?_ he asked himself as he walked. This was his chance to get Raven to open up a little. The thought of her smiling, of her laughing—it made him smile. _I sure hope it did,_ he thought. _And I've got plenty of time to keep trying._

* * *

Training came the next morning at 8:00 sharp. Robin, who had just set up a new training course, waited eagerly in the control booth for his team to arrive.

The new course consisted of lasers, exploding projectiles, pounding machinery and precarious terrain to fight on. It wasn't some of Robin's best work, but he had been a little busy lately.

Each Titan took their turn. Beast Boy was the first to go, shifting through various animal forms to adapt to the changing attacks. Cyborg followed, beating his time by almost thirty seconds. Starfire, Raven and Robin himself all went through the course, Starfire emerging with the best time.

"One minute and twenty four seconds. Good work Star!" Robin commended her, causing her to blush. Just the sight of her blush caused him to blush, then they both stood there awkwardly, neither knowing what to say next. Cyborg saved them.

"Yeah, yeah. This course gave a serious advantage to those who can fly," he complained.

"Robin still beat you. Are you telling me he can fly?" Raven asked wryly.

He frowned at her with narrowed eyes.

"Sore loser!" Beast Boy coughed.

Starfire giggled at that, floating up to mirror her bubbly attitude. "Friends, let us venture to the palace of pizza to celebrate the successful completion of another course!"

"Now I'm up for that," Cyborg replied heartily as the others voiced their consent.

Gathered around the table at their favorite pizza place, they all put in arguments as to what kind of pizza they should get. It was pointless—they always ended up getting cheese, which would satisfy everyone.

Robin looked affectionately at his team. They bickered, bantered, teased, and embarrassed each other, but they were the best friends anyone could hope for. More than that, they were family. They had met by chance five years ago as five awkward, lonely, yet eager teens, but that fateful encounter brought them together as one of the strongest superhero teams in the country.

Watching them as they finally ordered their extra large cheese pizza, he was filled with pride. He smiled contently as they carried on their conversation.

"You look awfully happy," Raven observed from beside him. She too had a slight smile on her face.

"So do you," he replied. _Well, Beast Boy,_ he mused, _though I can't say I approve of your methods, Raven does look happier than she did yesterday._Raven had really grown emotionally over the years, though the past few days made Robin think she was reverting back to her old, reclusive ways.

They both turned their attention back to the group. Robin couldn't help but instantly be drawn to Starfire. She was laughing at something Beast Boy had said, her face alight and her eyes sparkling. _She's really something,_ he thought.

He and Starfire had always been close. For three years they had flirted back and fourth before they finally found the courage to act on their feelings. After returning from Tokyo, they had dated for months. That was, until reality set in.

Dating a teammate was something Robin never thought he could do, and for good reason: it wasn't easy. They had learned that pretty early on in their relationship. They spent almost every waking hour with each other anyway and after a while they started to need some space. Dating Starfire always felt volatile, like it was precariously close to causing a major issue. Like when they were stranded on that foreign planet and Starfire's power's wouldn't work because of her emotional uncertainty. If they got into a fight, it would change the entire group dynamic, and throw them off balance as a crime-fighting team.

Robin was undeniably attracted to Starfire. He doubted that would ever change. But after a few months of dating, they both decided it was best to remain just friends while they lived like they did. People say there's no such thing as an easy break-up, and Robin wouldn't totally disagree. The weeks following the end of their relationship were very awkward. But they harbored no bad feelings, and were able to move past it.

Now they were back to square one, trying to ignore the romantic tension between them.

Finally, the pizza came and each Titan took a slice, the boys devouring theirs, Starfire slathering hers with mustard, and Raven nibbling contently on hers. The boys had gone through three slices each when their communicators started to beep simultaneously.

"Aww, man!" Beast Boy grumbled, slumping in his seat. Cyborg shoveled the last few slices of pizza into his mouth as the girls hovered in the air, ready for Robin's command. He flipped open his communicator.

"Well, bad news is that it's everyone's favorite, Plasmus." They all groaned. "Good news is that he just woke up. He hasn't even left the prison yet." He rose from his seat. "Let's take care of this quickly."

With Cyborg behind the wheel of the T-car, they arrived in no time. Jumping out of the car, Robin could hear Plasmus' screeching.

"Alright, here's the plan!" Robin called to his teammates as they raced towards the gate. "Attack him one at a time—a string of constant attacks should leave him exhausted but give us time to recover between hits. Then, on my cue, we hit him with everything we've got to knock him out for good."

They were now through the prison gates, flying down the halls towards the maximum security wing. After five years as heroes, they knew their way around the prison pretty well.

When they reached the large, reenforced steel doors, the guards quickly and eagerly let them in. They could hear the battle before they could see it. Plasmus screeching, guards yelling, prisoners cheering; evidently the guards weren't faring so well on their own.

Robin rounded the corner, watching as Plasmus wiped out guards who were desperately trying to shoot some kind of laser at him.

"Really, Plasmus? Trying to break out again?" Robin shouted tauntingly to engage him. "You know, that'll _really_ ruin your chances for parole." Robin smirked as the monster turned towards him, sizing up his opponents.

"Titans, GO!" The battle cry launched all five of them into action.

Though they all advanced on Plasmus, Robin could tell Starfire would reach him first. Her eyes glowed green with fury and she threw a shower of starbolts at the towering purple menace. Beast Boy grew into some type of raptor, quick and clever and distracting to Plasmus so Cyborg could get close enough to pummel him with a blast from his sonic cannon. He saw Raven melt into the floor, reappearing behind Plasmus with glowing black hands.

Robin had reached his optimal range and threw a handful of explosive disks at the monster, ducking when they detonated. He stepped back against the wall for a moment to survey the battle and assess the effectiveness of his strategy.

Raven currently launched a series of metal sheets she had detached from the walls at him. Plasmus easily absorbed them and threw them back at her, though now they were covered in goo. Raven vanished into the floor once again, just dodging them before they came clattering to the ground. Starfire followed with another flurry of starbolts, while Cyborg alternated with a few cannon shots.

Robin jumped in surprise as Raven reappeared right in front of him. She looked frustrated.

"We need a better plan. This could go on for hours—it always does with Plasmus."

Robin nodded. "He's one of my least favorite villains to fight. All we can do is fight him long enough to tire him back to sleep." His brain worked through past battles, trying to find a solution. His eyes grew wide as he found one.

"Raven! Can you knock him out like you did the day the world ended? Sorry," he added curtly, catching her grimace. "But can you?"

She hesitated. "It's not the easiest of my abilities, but yes, I can." She turned and took flight, moving closer to Plasmus and assuming the lotus position. Robin moved close to her to protect her while she was in this vulnerable state. He heard her loud chant:

"Azarath, Metrion, Zin—agh!" Raven gasped, hands clutching her throat as if she were choking. Robin's stomach clenched.

"Raven!" he called out, running towards her. She fell out of the air and landed on her knees, hunched and shaking. He put his hand on her shoulder, frantic to help, but she turned swiftly to face him, four slitted eyes glowing red.

Robin's eyes grew wide with shock and confusion. _This hasn't happened in so long_, he thought with brows drawn together. He didn't know what to do; he just stood there awestruck.

Raven blinked and her eyes returned to their normal state. But they looked far from normal. They were wide, frantic, and terrified.

"Please," she gasped, "you have to leave. This isn't...I can't..." she closed her eyes again and clutched her head in pain, the four demonic eyes returning.

"Raven?" he asked with fear, but backed off like she had instructed. The other Titans had heard his yell and it diverted their attention from Plasmus. They stared, confused and concerned, until they saw Raven's eyes. Robin heard Starfire gasp. He turned towards his teammates for a moment, long enough to notice Plasmus racing down the hall, intent on an escape.

Robin had two crises to choose from. His mind raced as he looked at Raven, who was now fully collapsed onto the ground, then after Plasmus. He called to his teammates:

"I don't know what's wrong with her, but Plasmus is getting away. Cyborg, Star, we're going after him. Beast Boy, help Raven. Let's go!"

He ran as fast as he could towards the hall Plasmus had run down, Cyborg at his side and Starfire overhead. He was worried about Raven, but Beast Boy would have to take care of it. _Plasmus can't get away again._

* * *

Beast Boy stared after Robin for a second, then turned to the collapsed girl. He knelt down beside her, shaking her shoulders slightly.

"Uh, Raven? You in there? Are you okay?" His heart hammered in his chest. He was afraid for Raven, but afraid of her too. That was until he heard a soft moan come from her curled up form, and everything but her safety was forgotten.

"Raven? Rae? Hey, are you alright?" he asked softly but intensely, picking up her head and shoulders and holding her up as she came to.

Her eyes flitted open and she drew her brows together in pain.

"Beast Boy?" she asked hoarsely, staring up into his eyes.

"Yes?" he replied softly, looking down at her with expectant eyes.

She paused for a moment. "Why are you touching me?"

She sat up on her own (though it appeared to cause her some difficulty) as Beast Boy drew his hands back close to his body. She held a hand to her head. Beast Boy calmed considerably seeing that, other than what appeared to be a nasty headache, she was alright.

"Raven," he asked hesitantly, "what happened?"

She didn't reply immediately, instead stumbling up onto her feet. "My emotions got out of control," she replied cooly. "It's happened before, you know."

_Uh, no it hasn't,_ he thought, narrowing his eyes at her. _Not like that._Aloud he said, "Huh. That's weird. I thought you said you're emotions were a lot easier to control now that you-know-who was sent back you-know-where."

"They are," she said, voice growing defensive. "However, it's not everyday that I'm trying to astrally project my soul self while my emotions are taxed."

That explanation didn't make much sense to Beast Boy, but it sounded reasonable enough. "Oh. Well um, okay then." She seemed to have regained her balance, and now turned to look around the room.

"Where's Plasmus? Where are our friends?"

"The others went after him when he tried to run. They'll be fine," he added when she opened her mouth to protest. "I'm under strict orders from Robin to get you home."

So it was a little white lie. Though she was up and walking around, Raven still looked weak. Beast Boy thought it would be best to get her back to the tower, though she would never go if she had the choice.

She sighed in response to his order, then turned towards the entrance. "Well then, let's go."

Beast Boy shook his head at her volatile spirit. _It's never a slow day with Raven, is it?_ He mused as he jogged after her.

* * *

Back at the tower, Beast Boy had left Raven alone in her room for a few hours to rest. She needed it: the episode at the prison had frightened her terribly.

Her powers were under control, contrary to what she had told Beast Boy. Her mind was stable. Raven had let her soul self pull away from her body as usual, but then... _something pulled me back,_ she thought with worry. _Clawed_ her back was a more accurate description. She fought the force that was trying to pull her under, bringing her rage to the surface where it hadn't been in years. She slipped into and out of control, struggling against her darker side.

She laid on her bed, staring up at he ceiling as she ruminated. The force was Trigon. She felt his presence in her mind. It had been there for eighteen years before she had defeated him and she was quite familiar with it. She was his daughter—he would always have access to her mind, though he hadn't stuck around in there after she had sent him back to his hell. _What does he think he can do with me now?_ she thought.

Raven was confident he was no threat, but his returning presence to her conscious unsettled her. What interest could he have in her? There was no way for him to come back to earth, or any other planet in this dimension.

Raven was confused, unnerved, and getting sleepier by the second. She knew one fact, and repeated the thought over and over again in her mind like a mantra as she fell asleep.

_Trigon is gone. He can't hurt me._

In the back of her mind, she wondered if it was really true.

* * *

It was dark when the other Titans returned to the tower, beat-up, weary, and covered in goo.

Raven, feeling much better after getting some sleep, was reading at the kitchen table as Beast Boy played a video game from the couch. Both looked up from their respective activities as their three teammates entered the common room.

Raven's eyes widened as she took them all in. They were covered in scrapes and bruises, costumes torn and, in Cyborg's case, circuitry sparking. But what instantly caught her attention was the purple goo. She held up a glowing black hand in their direction.

"Stop," she said firmly. "Don't take another step."

They looked confused and bewildered as Raven held their feet in place with her black energy. She sighed.

"If I have to clean Plasmus out of the carpet one more time..." She glared at them, her unfinished threat sinking in.

"Uh, I'll be in the bathroom," Cyborg said, turning and moving his now free feet out the door.

"We could both use a shower," Robin said, turning towards Starfire. Raven wasn't in a patient mood. Her eyes glowed as she held up a hand once again, encasing their entire bodies in black energy. Raven pulled all of the goo from their hair and clothes, then sent the whole glowing pile down the drain of the kitchen sink.

"Let me see your injuries," she said calmly, moving her hands towards them as the energy shifted from black to blue.

Robin looked at her closely, appraising her condition. "I take it you're feeling better," he asked slowly.

She met his gaze evenly. "Yes. I'm more concerned about your injuries." Even as she said it, she knew it was futile. The questions began.

"What happened back there in the prison?"

"I lost control of my powers. I was unstable and tried to use to much power."

"This hasn't happened for a long time. Why now?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I've been under a fair amount of stress lately," she said, countering each of his questions with an explanation just as quickly as he asked them.

"And the glowing red eyes?"

"That's a sign of rage, not just Trigon. Rage emerges when I loose control."

He stared at her, but seemed placated with her responses. "Fine. Just promise me you'll let us know if something's wrong," he said, concern in his eyes.

She nodded, and moved closer to Starfire, assessing the damage and preparing to heal her.

"So is Plasmus sleeping tight?" Beast Boy asked casually, hopping over the back of the couch to join them.

Starfire's shoulders slumped and Robin stiffened. "He got away," he ground out.

"How?" Beast Boy asked, brow raised. "We've put Plasmus away, like, a hundred times before. He's your garden variety villain." Robin shot Beast Boy a look.

"It was most strange. The villain Plasmus did not act at all like himself," Starfire said unhappily.

Beast Boy and Raven both looked to Robin.

"You know how Plasmus is always looking for acidic chemicals for sustenance?" he asked them. "Today he just...fled. We chased him almost two hours outside of Jump City before we lost him."

Raven frowned as she finished healing the cut along Starfire's cheek. _That is strange_, she thought, turning her attention towards Robin. He wore a certain look that she recognized. _If I know him..._

"Titans, pack your bags tonight, we're going after him first thing in the morning." Robin's declaration was met with a groan from Raven. She wasn't in the mood for an expedition to chase down a criminal with all that was happening right now.

"Any idea how long we'll be gone for?" Beast Boy asked.

"Let's see, Plasmus has a few hours head start," Robin replied with a frown. "I'd say at least two days."

"Super," Raven said flatly as she finished healing her second teammate. The metal doors of the common room swished open, revealing a clean, mostly repaired Cyborg. He made his way down the stairs, looking at the group's faces. He raised a brow.

"What'd I miss?"

"Dude." Beast Boy grinned. "We're going on a road trip."


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Yes, this chapter took me even longer than anticipated to post. Yes, it's also super short. I apologize. I do, however, have a good excuse. It goes something like MY BOYFRIEND TOOK ME ON A SURPRISE TRIP TO TAIWAN! It was spring break for me and he took the week off from work for an AMAZING trip to Asia! That's not a typical tourist destination, but it was so incredible. If you ever get the chance, visit Taiwan's Taroko National Park!

So, enough about me, let's check up on Beast Boy and Raven! Thank you to my very chatty guest and 'Steve' who left reviews for several chapters and to all of the others who have reviewed and followed! Love you all!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Cyborg stuffed the last of the suitcases into the back of the T-ship.

"Geez, Star, did you pack for two days or two weeks?" he grumbled.

"I apologize for my abundance of luggage, but earthly girls require many tools of beauty." Starfire blushed and gave her signature innocent smile. He was starting to doubt how naïve she really was.

"Remind me to cancel her subscription to _Seventeen_ magazine," Raven remarked wryly.

Cyborg grunted in agreement, climbing into his pod of the T-ship. "'Sides, we probably won't even have time to sleep, forget primping."

"One must always be prepared," Starfire replied over the intercom cheerfully, completely undeterred.

Cyborg shook his head and pressed the glowing blue button on the side of his controls, causing the T-ship's engine to roar to life. No matter how many times he had heard that sound, he still smiled when his other, larger baby came alive.

"Alright, Titans," Robin's confident voice sounded over the intercom. "Are we ready for takeoff?"

"Engine's definitely a go!" Cyborg grinned, eyeing a small stats screen to confirm that she was indeed running smoothly.

"Our navigational systems are ready!"

"Defenses are online."

"Computers are up and running. We are currently connected to the Titan's database," Beast Boy said smoothly. "I also have a two liter of Mountain Dew and a bag of Chips Ahoy that are ready for—"

"Thanks, Beast Boy," Robin said flatly, cutting him off. Cyborg bit back laughter. "All systems are up and we're ready for takeoff in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1—"

"Blastoff!" Cyborg and Beast Boy yelled in unison, a tradition between the two. Cyborg watched the Tower shrink away as the ship rose into the sky from the rooftop launchpad.

"All right, Spiky, where we headed?" Cyborg asked into his headset.

"We lost him about 150 miles north of Jump City, so we'll land there and spread out."

"Seriously?" Beast Boy complained. "This isn't going to be any fun if we have to search all alone!"

"More importantly," Raven added, a note of irritation in her voice, "we can't take him on by ourselves. We could loose him waiting for the rest of the team to join us."

"Don't worry, you'll be in pairs. He was heading north and I doubt he'll completely change direction, so I'll head up the coast, Cyborg and Star will move east, and you and Beast Boy will will check out the northeast."

Cyborg didn't have any complaints; Starfire (with the exception of Starfire's luggage) made an easy traveling companion. He looked at Beast Boy and Raven. Beast Boy looked a little timid, but he _had_ signed up to be Raven's new BFF.

Raven, on the other hand...

"Robin, do I have to spend the next forty eight hours with him?" she asked, pointing a thumb in Beast Boy's direction. "Why don't I go with Cyborg instead?"

Cyborg stiffened. _Oh, no,_ he thought, _keep me out of this one!_

"You two will be fine. With any luck we'll find Plasmus sometime today so we can get home," Robin said dismissively. "Besides, you two seemed awfully friendly the other morning." He gave Raven a pointed look, to which she pursed her lips and turned back around without a word.

_Uh, did I miss something?_ Cyborg thought, looking between the three of them. He couldn't help but feel bad for his friend when he noticed Beast Boy's dejected look.

Star's voice interrupted them. "Our systems indicate that our target has almost been reached!"

"Great! Titans, get ready to take her down." Robin ordered.

The ship landed in the small clearing where they had fought Plasmus the night before. Cyborg eyed the tree line where Plasmus had disappeared into the forest. They had lost track of him after that.

"Alright," Robin began as they all hopped down to the ground. It was still torn up in places from the previous day's battle. "This is where Plasmus was last seen. I wan't you to fan out like we talked about and search for Plasmus. Most of the area is rural, so there haven't been any reported sightings, but stop every once in awhile to check with locals and see if they have any information. We'll check in every hour on the hour and share any news."

"And if we find him?" Raven asked.

"Call the rest of us immediately. If you think you can take him down on your own, go for it. We'll meet you as soon as we can."

Robin turned and made his way back to the ship. He powered it on, detaching his portion from the rest of the ship and hovering in the air.

"I'll talk to you guys in an hour. Titans, move out!" Robin's voice sounded over their communicators.

Cyborg turned to look at the rest of the team. Raven and BB were already climbing into their pods.

"Guess that leaves us," Cyborg said, smiling at Starfire. She returned it heartily with a giggle. He was glad to be paired with her; she was amiable company.

Cyborg looked up at BB and Rae, who were currently bickering back and fourth over their headsets. They were turned towards each other with narrowed eyes and frustrated expressions. Raven finally turned and detached from the main ship as Beast Boy yelled after her. He muttered, presumably to himself, and tapped on this control panel, rising to follow her. Though Cyborg couldn't hear a word they said, the intent was clear.

He was _really_ glad he was paired with Starfire.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Well, my body clock is so screwed up from Taiwan that I can't sleep, which means you get two chapters in one weekend. That and I have no self-control. Here goes another chapter, though it's also short. I had a request for more fluff and I'm not sure if this counts, but this is definitely lighter and full of Beast Boy and Raven.

Keep those constructive reviews flowing! I'm trying to write more concisely, so let me know how that's going so far...

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 8**

They had been searching for three hours. Three long, unproductive hours. Raven shifted uncomfortably in her seat, ready for a break. After their discussion about directions turned into an argument before they had even taken off, Beast Boy had remained silent the rest of the trip thus far. Raven brought her ship lower in the air, mind and eyes alert for Plasmus.

"Uh, Raven?" Beast Boy's voice came over the intercom, a little unsteady after three hours without use.

"What?" she replied curtly.

"I, um, just wanted to say that I was sorry. About earlier. I mean, you were right and all, about the directions, but... I'm sorry I was so argumentative."

Raven was quiet for a moment. _Well, that was mature of him,_ she thought, somewhat impressed. She considered his words, but Beast Boy took her silence to mean something else.

"Look, I know you probably didn't want to be stuck with me on this trip—actually, I _know_ you didn't want to be stuck with me on this trip, and I'm sorry for that too but—"

"Beast Boy," Raven cut him off.

"Yeah?"

Raven sighed. She hated admitting any sentiment towards him, as it always went straight to his head, but he sounded so down and self-depreciating...

"I don't _completely_ hate being paired with you." His face perked up immediately. "You're... more mature than you used to be." _There,_ she thought, _that should suffice._

Suffice it did. Beast Boy was well-acquainted enough with Raven to know that that was the best compliment he would get out of her. His demeanor lightened, easing her guilt and causing her to don a soft smile.

"Well, thank you. You're less, um... scary than you used to be." She raised a brow, but the smirk remained. "What? I mean, you just _smiled_. You know I can see you smiling, right?"

Hmm. She had forgotten about the video screens that currently gave the two visual and audio on each other. She made an attempt to turn her lips in the opposite direction.

Beast Boy chuckled and opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by the ring of the communicator.

"Robin calling Titans." His voice filled Raven's pod as she tapped on the screen to pull up Robin's image.

"Do you have something?" she asked eagerly.

"No, not yet. How about you two?"

"Nope, we've got nothing," Beast Boy responded.

"Starfire? Cyborg?"

"We have yet to locate the villain Plasmus," Starfire replied with a sigh.

"Keep looking," Robin said with determination. "And remember to keep stopping and talking to locals. They might have noticed something that could help us track him." The screen went blank for a moment, then returned to the image of Beast Boy.

"Heh, guess we kinda dropped the ball on that one," he said to Raven. It was true: they hadn't stopped once since they left the others.

"Well, all I see is farms, woods, and... oh great. A truck stop." She reluctantly lowered her ship, slowing down as she approached the rest stop, which appeared to have a gas station and a small diner.

Raven landed the ship next the trucks in the far corner of the mostly empty parking lot. Beast Boy landed his beside her, jumping out and jogging to catch up with her as she stalked hastily towards the diner. She wasted no time; she was eager to get this mission over with.

The bell above the door jingled as Raven threw it open and approached the bar counter. She could hear Beast Boy's grunt as the door slammed back on him, but he scampered to her side quickly, if not without a dirty look. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the counter as a young waitress ambled over.

She stopped right in front of them, one hand holding a notepad, the other on her hip. She had one brow raised and looked at them expectantly.

"Hi," Raven drawled after a few awkward seconds. "My name is Raven and this is Beast Boy. We're from the—"

"Oh, I know who you are," she said with a grin, looking at Beast Boy. "You're from the Teen Titans."

"Fantastic. We're trying to locate an escaped criminal called Plasmus. We want to know if you've seen him or heard about anything unusual happening in this area." She pulled out her communicator. "Here's a picture of him."

The girl made a face. "Uh, nope. I'd remember seeing something like _that_."

"Yeah, he's not much of a looker, is he?" Beast Boy said.

The girl, whose name-tag read "Jennifer," giggled and continued to stare at Beast Boy, grinning coyly. Raven, whose eyes now traveled over to her teammate to see what was so intriguing, gagged a little as she caught sight of him leaning towards "Jennifer" with one arm on the counter, an equally stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Well, if you do see anything suspicious, please report it to your local police department." Raven could tell it went in one ear and out the other.

"And thank you—" Beast Boy looked at her name-tag— "Jennifer, for all of your help."

"Oh, you can call me Jenny," she smiled flirtatiously. "And thank _you_, for all you do."

"That's our job, _Jenny_," he smiled back.

"Well, we really appreciate it out here, Beast Boy," she drawled, pausing for a beat. "_Beast Boy_. That's quite a name to live up to." She winked.

Raven threw up a little in her mouth.

Before he could reply, Raven grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him towards the door. "I think it's time we get going," she said in a deadpan.

"Bye, Beast Boy! It was nice to meet you!" the girl called from behind them.

Beast Boy had righted himself, now moving towards the door of his own volition, but turned back around to give her a final wave. Once outside, Raven glanced towards him and raised a displeased brow.

"What?" he blushed.

Raven, at a loss for words, shook her head and started back towards the ships.

"Hey, wait a sec, I wanted to stop by the gas station and pick up some snacks before we head out again," he called after her.

"Didn't you pack some?"

"Yeah, but I ate them already," Beast Boy admitted.

"Boys," Raven mumbled. "Make it quick."

"Yes, ma'am!" Beast Boy shouted, retreating to the station's convenience store.

Raven floated up into her pod, settling herself in for another long ride. She tapped her fingers on the controls, trying to push the last ten minutes from her brain. Watching Beast Boy flirt (if that's what he calls it) made Raven feel incredibly awkward, irritated, and... possessive? _Is that the right feeling?_ She contemplated with confusion. It was because Beast Boy was her family and her friend, right? He was _her_ friend. Somehow, though, she just couldn't conjure the same feeling when she imagined Robin or Cyborg in that place. _What, am I protective over him or something?_ She thought incredulously.

Raven slumped into the seat with her head back and her arms crossed, waiting for Beast Boy to return.

* * *

_Stupid, stupid, stupid..._ Beast Boy chanted over and over again in his head as he navigated down the narrow aisles. What on earth had possessed him to act like such an idiot with that girl? In front of Raven!

_I take one step forward with Raven, then two steps back!_ he ranted in his head. He pulled various snack items from the shelves, at least pleased with the selection. They had not only puffed, but _twisted_ puffy Cheetos.

She was clearly irritated with him now. _Good going, Beast Boy. Now you'll be having all kinds of conversation the rest of the way. You'll be her new best friend!_

He wasn't really interested in that girl. She was cute, but... _she isn't someone like Raven._

Beast Boy sat on that thought for a few seconds. _I mean, of course I want to date someone like Raven. Smart, powerful, brave, kick-ass. It's like when guys like the same things in the chicks they date that they like about their mothers. Wait, that came out wrong..._

_Great. Now I can't even think right. _Beast Boy tried to clear his head. _Besides, Raven is _not_ like a mother to you. She's... well, you said she was like a sister the other day. She and Starfire are. Starfire is like the innocent one you want to shelter, and Raven is like the hot one that you kind of have this thing for but not really because she's your sister and..._

Beast Boy stopped himself again. _Well, that's zero for two,_ he sighed. But it stopped him in his tracks. His stomach clenched and his heart beat a little faster. Did he have a thing for Raven? _Could_ he have a thing for her?

Beast Boy shook his head, forcefully dropping the subject and instead moving on to the simple task of selecting what type of soda he wanted. He was going to be with Raven for the next two days. Now was _not_ the time to be thinking about this.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I have no desire to anything this weekend (the last two precious days of my break), so you're getting all kinds of chapters. Seriously, I haven't even unpacked my bag from my vacation. My couch and I just became best friends.

XOXO Gwen

Disclaimer: Haven't had one of these for a while, so just to refresh your memory, I do not own Teen Titans, anything related to Teen Titans, or any brand names mentioned in this story.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Five minutes later, Beast Boy returned with two plastic bags full of chips, cookies, and soda. Once they were in the air, he wasted no time digging into his stash.

"Want some?" he asked Raven over the intercom, his mouth full.

"Pass," she replied cooly.

A few minutes of silence passed.

"So, uh... what did you think of that movie we watched the other night?"

"You mean the giant robot movie you and Cyborg made us all watch two weeks ago?"

"Was that two weeks ago?" Beast Boy asked. "Huh. Feels like it was yesterday. And it was the _awesome_ giant robot movie we made you watch, thank you very much."

"Right," Raven drawled.

More silence.

"So... read any good books lately?"

The next half hour passed the same way. Every few minutes, Beast Boy would ask a question. Raven would supply a one word answer. Clearly he wasn't getting the message that she wasn't in the mood to talk.

Finally, he seemed to give up. Another half hour passed in complete, peaceful silence. Raven dutifully scanned the ground and checked the sensors, answering Robin's call when it came.

Eventually, Beast Boy broke the silence.

"Raven?" he asked.

"What?" she replied monotonously.

"Have you, uh, seen anything yet?"

"Don't you think you would have heard about it if I had?" she countered.

"Oh, uh, right." He gave a nervous laugh.

A few more minutes passed.

"Raven?" he asked again.

"Beast Boy, I'm starting to realize you can't go without talking for five minutes," she ground out hotly.

"Not really!" he replied, half-whining. "This trip is so boring!"

"It's not supposed to be a vacation. We're supposed to be finding Plasmus."

"I know, but we could at least talk about something. I've been trying for the last hour!"

"I'm well aware," she replied dryly.

"Yeah, well it hasn't been much of a conversation with your one-word answers!"

"Maybe because I don't want to have a conversation."

Beast Boy made a noise of offense, but was quiet for a few seconds. "Cyborg should have put an entertainment system in these things."

"Don't you have an i-something?"

"iPad. And I forgot it," he sighed. After a few seconds, she sensed a burst of excitement from his pod. _Oh, fantastic,_ she thought sarcastically, anticipating whatever dumb idea he was about to propose.

"Hey Raven, why don't we play a game? You know, like kids do on road trips!"

"I don't know, why don't we? It sounds like such fun."

"Oh, come on Raven! It will be!" She could tell the wheels were turning in his head. "What do you want to play? I-spy? Would you rather? ...Wait, I've got it! Twenty questions!"

Words couldn't express Raven's aversion to playing a game with Beast Boy. "I'm not playing foolish games with you," she said firmly.

"Seriously Raven, you'll have fun, I promise!" He was quiet for a second. Evidently he was developing another idea.

"Hey, why don't we just ask each other questions? That's not really a game, right? I'll ask you ten questions and you can ask me ten questions. It's like twenty questions, only not really!"

Raven simply stared at him over the video screen.

"What? It's a good idea! You've said before we don't really know each other that well anymore."

"I didn't say anything about wanting to change that status," Raven mumbled.

"We're stuck together on this trip for who knows how long. We might as well make the most of it. Besides, if my memory is correct, you have a little secret that you want to be kept, no?" he hinted mischievously.

Raven sighed. _There are worse ideas he could come up with_, she reasoned to herself. This one wasn't completely unbearable. _It would be nice to get to know him a little better._

"Fine. Though this is the last thing you'll get out of that blackmail." She eyed him contemptuously.

"Sweet!" Beast Boy shouted, pleased with his victory. "Ok, here are the rules: I'll start by asking a question, then we'll alternate until we've asked 10 questions each, which, if I can do math correctly—" Raven raised a brow— "adds to 20 questions total."

"What if I don't want to answer one?"

"Uh, you can have one pass and so can I. But no asking embarrassing or personal questions." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Somehow I'm not worried that I'll be asking those kinds of questions." She gave him a pointed look, which he ignored.

"Alright, since the game was my idea, I'll go first. So Raven," he asked, taping his finger on his chin as he thought, "if you could trade superpowers with someone for a day, who would it be?" He grinned, pleased with his question.

"I wouldn't," she replied cooly. "My powers are too difficult to control. I wouldn't place that burden on anyone else."

"Seriously, Raven?" he asked, startling her. "It's the first question and you're already ruining the game. This is pretend. It's never gonna happen. So whose powers do you want?"

She scowled at him. "Fine. I suppose I would trade with Herald. He can travel anywhere he wants effortlessly and has a quiet dimension of his own. That's more than I can say for Titan's Tower," she said, glancing at Beast Boy.

"Hey, it's mostly quiet. We give you your precious 'alone time' to meditate and do whatever it is you do." He paused expectantly for a second. "Okay Raven, it's your turn."

She thought for a second. She had no idea what to ask. "Um, what's your favorite food?"

"Easy," he scoffed. "Pizza. Veggie lovers, extra cheese."

"Really? I thought for sure it would be tofu," she said wryly.

"Nope. I like tofu as a substitute for meat, but nothing beats a melty, cheesy slice of pizza!" He grinned. "Speaking of pizza..."

"We're not stoping," Raven snapped.

"Okay, okay, worth a shot." He furrowed his brows in thought. "Hmm, my turn again... okay, I've got one I've always wanted to know, and no lying!" He narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever thought any of my jokes were funny?"

Raven rolled her eyes while she contemplated how to answer. She didn't want to inflate his ego, or worse, incur more joke-telling, but she didn't want to flat out lie either.

"I suppose a few of them haven't been completely unbearable," she conceded, but was quickly cut off by Beast Boy.

"Seriously?! I knew you thought I was funny! Which one's your favorite? Animals crossing the road? Ooh, what about the cookie and the doctor? Or—"

"Beast Boy I didn't say you were funny!" Raven shouted over his excitement. "Just because some of your jokes weren't totally lame doesn't mean—"

"Aww, admit it Raven! You think I'm hilarious!" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Raven rolled her eyes again. "Yeah. A regular comedian." She simmered unhappily as Beast Boy continued to talk. Finally she thought of something that might shut him up. "Isn't it my turn to ask a question?"

"Why, yes, it is! Shoot." Beast Boy crossed his hands behind his head contently.

"Why do you always try and annoy me? It usually doesn't end well for you," she added with a note of menace.

"I'm not trying to annoy you, Raven," he said, still grinning. "I'm trying to be friends with you."

Raven's expression shifted from one of irritation to one of confusion. Beast Boy elaborated.

"You're off on your own a lot and you can deny it all you want, but no one wants to be alone all of the time. I want you to know you have a friend if you need one," he said mildly with a shrug. Raven was taken aback. Here Beast Boy was, sounding kind and mature and very thoughtful. Beast Boy.

"I, um... thanks," she said, giving him a small smile. "I never thought about it that way."

"I wish you had. It would have been a lot better for my health!" Even Raven grinned at that. "Ok, my turn. Hmm... so I know that with your powers you can sense people, but can you like, read people's minds?"

Raven considered the question. "No, not exactly. I can sense a persons location if they're nearby, and any strong emotions, but I can only make contact with their minds with intense concentration. It's not like I pick up stray thoughts. I also have to be very in-tune with their minds beforehand to try it."

"So when you went inside Robin's head..."

"It took a lot of focus and power. It's not something I would be able to do everyday. My powers reacted to my increased emotions in the heat of the moment."

"Oh," Beast Boy responded. "Well, that's a relief. I wouldn't want you poking around in my head!"

"I would be scared of what I'd find," Raven retorted wryly.

"Humph!" Beast Boy snorted. After a few seconds of silence, he prodded her. "It's your turn, you know."

"I was hoping you'd forget," she sighed, but set her mind on formulating a question. "What's your favorite memory?"

Unlike the previous questions, to which Beast Boy immediately blurted an answer, only silence came from his part of the ship.

"That's a little personal," he finally said in a soft voice.

"Beast Boy," Raven said hesitantly, "I respect your privacy. I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's okay," he reassured her, though his voice was still heavy. "Most people's favorite memory isn't so... bittersweet." He paused and Raven waited patiently for him to continue. "I guess I don't have a specific moment. My parents are my favorite memory," he said gently. Raven looked at his face. He was looking out the window away from her, but she saw sadness in his eyes. "It was the time I spent when we were happy. And normal."

Raven had a very limited knowledge about Beast Boy's past. About any of her teammate's pasts, really, because they never talked about it. Ironically enough, they all knew the most about hers. Raven, the most secretive member on the team. Beast Boy had had a family once, but he was alone when the Titans met. She could only guess at what had happened, and from the look in his eyes, she wasn't going to find out today.

"I'm sorry. About whatever happened," she managed quietly. She didn't handle others' grief well and the current situation made her unsure and uncomfortable.

He turned his eyes back to the screen and gave her a small but genuine smile. "Thanks, Rae." He forced the last traces of the bittersweet nostalgia from his face and continued. Just as quickly as he had gone from his usual, boisterous self to being so downtrodden, he bounced back up into a lighter mood, ready to put the past behind him.

"Now," he said, "question number four..." He tapped an index finger against his chin. Suddenly, Beast Boy's face broke into a mischievous grin. "Alright, Raven, which member of the Titans do you think is the hottest?"

Raven shot Beast Boy a glare as if to say, "are you serious?" but couldn't help it when her lip turned up in one corner.

"Come on, is it Speedy? Bushido? _Robin?_" he asked, wiggling his brows.

"Aqualad." Raven smirked. "Hands down."

The look on Beast Boy's face was one of jealousy and shock. _Priceless,_ Raven thought as she took it in. _Was he really expecting me to say _his_ name?_

"Seriously?!" he exclaimed. "What is everyone's obsession with that guy? He lives underwater and smells like fish!"

"He does not smell like fish," Raven replied. "He's clever, brave, kind, and he's got a great set of abs," Raven said soberly.

Beast Boy spluttered for a few seconds, giving Raven an immense satisfaction. _He wants to ask dumb questions?_ she thought. _Fine. He better be ready for the answers._

Beast Boy, now recovered, went on the defensive. "Aqualad has nothing on me. Did you know that Teen Scene did a survey about which Titan you would want to date and fifty four percent of girls picked me?" he asked with pride.

"No, I didn't, but thanks for the data, _Starfire._" she replied sarcastically. "Besides, I doubt that survey was accurate."

"It was in the issue I was on the cover of," Beast Boy admitted.

"And the truth comes out." She smirked as she checked the monitors and scanned the ground again, thinking all the while. "Beast Boy, my next question is if you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?"

"Japan," he answered with a grin. Raven raised a brow. "Yeah, I know we've already been to Tokyo, but I'm cool with the tried and true." He stared into the clouds as he shared his fantasy. "I'd study with a few samurais, pick up an awesome ninja sword or two, then finish up in Tokyo in comic book heaven. Now that the whole Brushogun thing is over with," he amended.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much over Tokyo," Raven drawled, recalling their 'vacation.'

"Well, where would you go?" Beast Boy asked.

"Is that an official question?"

"Sure. But your favorite bookstore doesn't count," he replied playfully.

"Trust me, I'm aware that the world is much larger than Jump city." She thought for a moment. "Somewhere in Egypt or the Middle East. I could learn a lot about Earth's history."

"Why would you want a history lesson?" Beast Boy asked disdainfully.

"Because I like to be well-educated," she shot back. "And because I find Earth's history and culture to be interesting."

"Whoa, you sounded like Starfire! You always seem so knowledgeable. It's hard to remember you're not from Earth."

"I don't like to be naïve. I've read a lot. And my mother is from Earth, so she told me stories when I was younger."

"Your mom was from Earth? Wait, your mom _is_ from Earth? Your mom is alive?!"

Raven clenched her teeth, angry at herself for mentioning what she did. She should have realized the door she was opening.

"I believe it's my turn to ask a question," she said forcefully.

"Fine. Ask one."

"Um...uh... what's your favorite color?" she blurted out in desperation.

"Green," he shot back without blinking. "Now what about your mom?"

"Pass," Raven replied cooly after a few seconds.

"Pass? You just told me your mom was alive! Why have you never mentioned that? Why have you never gone to see her? Is she still here on—"

"I said pass!" Raven bit out harshly.

Beast Boy clamped his jaw shut. A few moments of awkward silence passed between them. Finally, Raven sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Beast Boy," she said softly. "My mother and I were never very close. Things were... complicated."

"I'm sorry Raven," he replied with his eyes downcast. "I just assumed that your mom..."

"I know. We didn't have the same relationship that you did with your parents," she said with a note of finality, ready to move the conversation in a different direction.

"Well," Beast Boy said, catching her tone, "since you just used your pass, it's your turn to ask another question. And please make it better than 'what's your favorite color.'" He smirked.

Raven shot him a mild glare then contemplated her next question. He waited patiently, checking his monitors and taking the opportunity to check out the ground below. His mention of color brought a question to mind.

"Alright, why are you green?"

Beast Boy smiled. "Ah, you're asking for my origin story."

"Your what?"

"Any superhero who's anybody has a good origin story," he said, like it was obvious. "Well, since I know a lot of yours, I guess it's only fair I tell you some of mine.

"When I was little, I lived in Africa with my parents, who were biologists. We spent years there while they did their research. One day I was bit by a monkey and contracted a deadly virus. In an attempt to save me, my parents injected me with altered animal DNA, because the disease wasn't fatal to animals. That's what gave me my ability to shape shift. The virus is what turned my skin green."

Raven was silent. She stared out the windshield, brow furrowed. _He's been through a lot too,_ she realized. She knew that none of their stories were happy, as they were all on their own when the team formed, but to hear the details...

"Pretty freaky, huh?" Beast Boy asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"We're all pretty freaky," she said softly.

"That's for sure," he muttered with a smile. "Well, I suppose it's my turn." His brows drew together as he thought.

"Don't think too hard, your brain isn't used to all of that activity. You could pull something," Raven warned.

"Ha ha," he shot back with a glare. "Seriously, though, I can't think of... wait, I've got it!" He beamed. "Tell me about how you go incognito around Jump City. You know, with the wig and all?"

_Here we go,_ Raven thought flatly. "Haven't we already been through this?"

"Yeah but I want the details. How long have you been doing it?"

"About a year. But I don't go out very often."

"And what do you do when you're out?"

"That's two questions."

"Can I _please_ have two turns in a row? You can take the next two."

Raven sighed. "Fine. I usually do normal, human things. Like going shopping at the supermarket or the bookstore or getting something to eat. I just like being anonymous."

"You already told me that before I blackmailed you," he said shamelessly. "Give me more details."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but continued. "I have a cafe that I like to go to. They know me there. Well, they know Rachel there. Thursday nights they have a small band that plays. I try and go when I can for a cup of tea. Other than that it really is boring errands. Satisfied now?"

"Yep! Seriously though, I should have gotten a picture of that! It's hilarious!"

She glared, but went on the offensive. "And what about you? You asked me about my activities outside of the tower—I'll return the favor. Why do you and Cyborg feel the need to make asses of yourselves every Friday and Saturday night?"

"Ouch! That's a little harsh," he said defensively, but grew serious. "I don't really know. I guess I just like to have fun and be carefree sometimes, you know? Just live in the moment and not worry about fighting and bad guys and being a superhero. You put on a wig and run errands, I go get drunk in a nightclub. It's how I feel normal."

Although the logic made little sense to her, it was more insightful than she would have expected. She had to admit, playing this 'game' had been interesting. She was discovering a lot about Beast Boy. Mostly that somewhere under the child he wore on the outside was a thoughtful, insightful young man. She just hadn't talked to him alone for long enough to see him come out yet.

"Okay, your turn again," he said, a little lighter.

"Right. Give me a minute to think of something." She wracked her brain for another probing question, but nothing would come. Beast Boy tapped his fingers on the controls theatrically.

"That's not helping," she chastised.

"Come on, Raven, you're taking forever!"

"Give me a minute."

She turned her eyes skyward as she thought. This was her opportunity to keep an intelligent conversation going between herself and Beast Boy.

"Raven!" he exclaimed from his pod.

"I told you I'm—"

"No, look!"

Raven immediately looked towards the ground. A burst of adrenaline shot through her as she took in what was below. Houses, barns, and fences were torn up in a clear path. She could even spot purple goo in a few spots.

"Definitely Plasmus," Raven concluded. "I'll call Robin."

"No time!" Beast Boy shouted. "There he is!"

Sure enough, they were coming up on a small town that appeared to be in a state of chaos. Raven brought her ship down hard, feeling her stomach turn from the quick decent. She now flew over the tops of buildings, making her way towards the epicenter.

Standing in the town square was Plasmus, screeching and pouring sewer water into his mouth from pipes ripped from underground. The local police department surrounded him, though at a distance. They shot a variety of weapons at him, but all proved ineffective.

"What's the plan?" Beast Boy's voice sounded over the intercom.

"With Plasmus, all we can do is hit him hard and hit him fast."

"Great," Beast Boy huffed. "I'll circle around and hit him from the other side. Distract him for me."

"I'm on it," Raven replied, impressed with his strategy. She brought her ship down on a side street and flew towards the center of town. She could see Beast Boy touching down on Plasmus' other side.

Raven didn't know how to get his attention; the witty one-liners were usually Robin's job. So she initiated the battle nonverbally.

Hands encased in her cool black energy, she lifted two street lights and turned them on their sides.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she cried, thrusting them towards Plasmus' core and skewering him. She heard the gasps of the bystanders who knew nothing of his regenerative nature nor of Raven's presence.

Plasmus, on the other hand, let out a deafening screech. Raven flew higher and closer, levitating at the creature's eye level. "Plasmus," she drawled as he turned towards her. "Leaving Jump City so soon?"

At that he began blasting globs of his purple self at her. She expertly dodged them, weaving through the air as she flew closer. Hands drew together in front of her, she sent a blast of energy at his middle and flew through it, leaving a gaping hole between his two street lamp skewers. She looped up and hovered directly above him, powers reaching for various objects.

She took hold of mailboxes, flower pots, signs, and benches, pulling them into the air and pummeling Plasmus in a shower of projectiles. Raven thought her ears were going to bleed as he continued to screech. _Of all the villains..._

She grabbed one last trash can and threw it at him, then headed towards the street she came from. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Beast Boy, in human form, run into the town square. _Good,_ she thought, _I'm loosing energy fast._

She turned back towards Plasmus as he melted into the ground and reformed himself, leaving the objects previously embedded in him on the pavement. He shot his arms at her, extending them into streams of goo. She dodged them again, but just barely. Thankfully, Beast Boy reared up behind him as a T-rex, eliciting more gasps from onlookers. Plasmus turned to look behind him, but not in enough time to avoid Beast Boy's blow. With a flick of his tail, he cut the purple creature in two, forcing him to reform yet again.

Raven watched from the street as Beast Boy engaged him, waiting to build a little more strength. Her partner was doing well though, and hadn't needed her help.

Just then, Plasmus hit Beast Boy with one of his blasts, forcing him back to his human form. _Never mind,_ Raven sighed. She raised her hands and centered her mind, preparing to chant her mantra and take action.

Before she even said a word, a hand clamped over her mouth from behind. Another snaked it's way around her waist, her captor restraining her against his strong body. Raven thrashed and struggled against him, but whoever it was had a solid hold and was clearly physically superior.

"Don't worry," an all-too-familiar voice whispered melodically in her ear. "It's only me."

Raven's stomach clenched and her body went cold from head to toe. The voice was cold, taunting, and frightening.

And it was definitely Slade's.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Raven froze. She didn't scream or fight or even blink. She simply stood still and tried to keep her head above the ocean of fear crashing over her. Her head was dizzy, her thoughts slow. All her mind kept screaming at her was _Slade is back! He's back!_

"Dear Raven, it has been so long, but I see you still remember me," he began. "I hate to interrupt your fight with Plasmus but you and I have some business to attend to."

_Oh, no we don't,_ she thought, her mind finally clearing. She took a deep breath and centered herself, sending a current of black energy from her mind to his body. It knocked him back almost fifteen feet. Raven turned and took a fighting stance, hands and eyes glowing. Slade landed gracefully and rose slowly to his full height, exuding confidence and control.

"Raven!" She heard Beast Boy's voice from a distance behind her but she didn't turn. Evidently he was just noticing Slade. She didn't flinch; she drew all of her energy and focus towards the man before her.

"Impressive, Raven," Slade commended her. "My, you have grown. No longer a 'Teen' Titan, I see."

"What do you want Slade?" She grit out, not in the mood to engage in his pleasantries.

"All business, as usual," Slade commented. He stared at her intently. "Do you know how difficult it is to separate you from the rest of your team? I was hesitant sending Plasmus, but it seems it's worked out nicely." He paused. "What I want, Raven, is _you_."

Adrenaline shot through her. _Seriously? Me again? Why can't we go back to his obsession with Robin?_ She had no idea what he could possibly want with her, especially not after almost three years of silence. She never got the chance to ask. A large green wolf shot over her head towards Slade, snarling as his jaws snapped around Slade's forearm, which he thrust up to cover his face.

Raven was startled as she watched Beast Boy engage their nemesis. He changed form rapidly—from wolf to bear to tiger to gorilla—to both attack Slade and defend himself. She turned to find their other opponent but found the town square covered in in purple matter, a small sleeping man at the center.

Raven's lip turned up in the corner. _That means it's two against one._

Rising up into the air, she turned back towards Slade and called forcefully, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" With the words she sent a mailbox slamming into Slade's side as Beast Boy faced him from the front. He grunted at the impact and went sliding across the pavement. Raven returned to the ground and stood beside Beast Boy confidently.

Slade stood back up and looked back and fourth between the two of them. "Well, it seems you've improved and I'm out of practice," he enunciated, though Raven could tell he was breathing heavily. He turned his chilling gaze on her exclusively. "What a shame, it looks like our reunion will have to wait. We'll be in touch."

He pressed a controller in his hand and a deafening explosion filled the air. Raven ducked as smoke bombs detonated all across the square. The haze was so thick she couldn't see her hand in front of her face. It made her eyes water terribly. Her saturated lungs begged her to cough, and she allowed herself a few coughs to clear them. She could hear Beast Boy hacking the toxic smoke out of his chest as well.

She waved a hand in front of her face to clear the smoke, but as it dissipated she could see that Slade was no where to be found.

She pursed her lips in agitation, then sighed. There was nothing either of them could do—they were thoroughly unprepared to face Slade today. She saw Beast Boy a few feet away, visually confirmed that he was alright, then pulled out her communicator.

"Raven calling Robin," she said hoarsely. His picture came up.

"Raven, did you find any...what happened? Are you okay?"

"We're fine," she assured him. "We found Plasmus terrorizing a small town. We began to fight him and then..." She hesitated. "Robin, Slade was here."

He was silent for a few seconds. "He got away?"

"Yes. Robin, I—"

"I'm on my way. Robin out." The screen went dark. She sighed as she flipped the communicator shut and slipped it into her pocket. _Typical Robin._

"Are you okay?" Beast Boy's voice was so close behind her it made her jump. His too was hoarse, but it gave his voice a deep, husky quality.

"I'm fine," she said, spinning around to find herself face-to-face with him. "You?"

"I'll be alright." His face was serious. "Wasn't expecting that, though."

"Neither was I."

"Well, at least we have..." Beast Boy turned towards where he had left Plasmus, but the sleeping man was no longer there. "Correction," he sighed, "we _had_ Plasmus."

"Robin said he was on his way. I'm assuming Cyborg and Starfire will be coming with him."

"I heard." He surveyed the shaken town. "Well, I better get started on damage control here. Not like we've got much else to do until Robin arrives." He turned to look at her. "You coming?"

Raven hesitated. This definitely wasn't her strong suit. She normally left this part to her more personable teammates.

"Look, all you have to do is stand next to me and try not to look intimidating." He grinned. "I'll take care of the rest."

Raven rolled her eyes but followed behind him as he strode over towards the police officers. She waited as he said a few words to them, then gestured to a megaphone. After taking possession of it, he turned to address the onlookers.

"Alright, hello citizens of..." he looked at the police cars frantically. "Carlin! Citizens of Carlin! I'm Beast Boy, of Jump City's Teen Titans, here to let you know that the situation is under control! Plasmus, the ugly purple gooey guy, is supposed to be held at Jump City Prison, but he escaped yesterday and we've been tracking him down. We're sorry for the panic and, um, kind of destroying your town square." He gave a nervous laugh. "Anyway, me and my partner Raven over here will help clean everything up. If you have any questions, please contact your local police department," he said, jabbing a thumb at the officers. "Thanks!"

After returning the megaphone, he waved Raven over to the group. She reluctantly drew closer.

"Ok, Raven can lead clean up because she can move things with her powers while I'll help you all with reports and stuff." They had worked around law enforcement enough to know that they always wanted a statement. Beast Boy inched closer to Raven as the police chief said a few words to the other officers.

"So?" he asked eagerly.

She pursed her lips in appraisal. "Your leadership was...passable. Though it lacked finesse you did seem likable."

He beamed. "Coming from you, that might as well be an award." The police were done conferring and moved towards their individual assignments. "Now, get cleaning! See you in a few!"

Raven rolled her eyes but smiled as Beast Boy moved back towards the police chief. _What's happening to me? _she thought. Beast Boy's antics were actually starting to grow on her. And she really didn't mind.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Remember when I said I would update once a week on Sundays? Yeah, that lasted a long time. I just can't help myself, I'm having too much fun writing this. :)

Reviews have dropped off... is anyone still with me? Are you just quiet, or do you not like something? Tell me if I've screwed something up!

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, anything related to Teen Titans, or any brand names mentioned in this story. And while Carlin, Nevada is a real city, any description or locations in/of it are fictional.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Two hours later, most of the debris was off of the roadways, the undamaged property was back in its rightful place, and the citizens of Carlin were once again assured of their safety. Raven wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead as she moved the last street bench into place. She looked over to Beast Boy, who was still chatting with the two remaining police officers, though it didn't look like it was about business.

Raven squinted against the setting sun as she approached the laughing trio, addressing the officers.

"Do you know where the nearest hotel is?" She tried to be polite and approachable, but the two still gawked at her. Finally, one answered.

"Uh, yeah, I mean, yes. There's a motel that way, seven blocks from here," he said, pointing down the road.

"Thank you," she replied. She continued to stare at them until they got the message that it was time for them to go. They bid Beast Boy goodbye and got into their car. Raven glanced at Beast Boy out of the corner of her eye.

"What?" he asked.

"Thanks for all the help cleaning up, Beast Boy," she said sarcastically.

He shrugged. "So, what's the plan now?"

"We wait until Robin gets here. He'll be mad if we so much as sneeze without him. Let's get settled in and call Cyborg and Starfire."

"Sounds good to me." He turned and ambled in the direction of his ship. "I'll follow you," he called over his shoulder.

After what turned out to be a very short ride to the motel, Beast Boy and Raven were finally able to rest in their newly rented room. It was small and quaint, with western artwork on the walls, light wooden furniture, and colorful knitted blankets covering the two full-sized beds.

For the Titans, sharing rooms when they were on the go was common place. Sometimes they didn't even have the luxury of a roof over their heads, so they weren't shy with each other or greedy about having their own space.

Upon entering, Beast Boy immediately flopped across the width of one of the beds, legs dangling over the edge. As he dozed in and out of sleep, Raven settled into the lotus position over her bed for a quick meditation.

Though she meditated for longer than she had planned, when she opened her eyes a little while later, she found that Beast Boy was still asleep. It was dark outside, the only light in the room coming from the soft glow of the lamp between the two beds. Quietly, Raven stood an retrieved the backpack she had dumped by the door. Beast Boy's green duffle bag was dumped beside it. She quickly located another leotard and her travel-sized cosmetics, slipping into the bathroom to shower.

Raven turned the water as hot as it would go, breathing in the steam and letting the warm water relax her muscles.

Alone in the porcelain bathroom, Raven began to sort through the emotions she had pushed aside earlier to do her job. She was frightened. There was no doubt about that. Slade was targeting her yet again, though this time she had no idea why. She thought of his earlier words. _I__t looks like our reunion will have to wait. _She shivered despite the hot water. Knowing Slade, that wasn't a threat; it was a promise.

Two explanations surfaced, but she shot both of them down. It was true that the Trigon ordeal hadn't gone particularly well for Slade, but it turned out okay. He got his life and his body back, which his disappearance suggested was enough for him. _And why would he return now, if revenge was his purpose? _she puzzled.

The idea that Slade was once again working for Trigon also floated through her mind. _But why would Slade make another deal with Trigon?_ He wouldn't. _And if he were working for my father, wouldn't he have the mark of Scath?_ He would.

Raven huffed and slumped against the cool tile wall. That left her with nothing. She had no explanation as to why this cold, cunning, manipulative man (who had made several previous attempts on her life) was after her now.

A sudden knock on the door made Raven jump.

"Uh, Raven?" Beast Boy's muffled voice came through the door. "You okay in there?" You've been in there for awhile."

"You're awake," she replied.

"Yeah, and I, uh, kinda gotta pee. So could you hurry?"

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. "I'll try," she called back wryly.

Though she certainly wouldn't admit it to him, it was a comfort to have him with her. Granted, they still fought frequently, but his behavior and comments that once irritated her now entertained her. Perhaps it was because she knew he had a serious side that could balance his lighthearted nature. Maybe it was because they hadn't spent as much time together, though they were clearly rectifying that situation. Whatever the reason, Beast Boy always had a witty remark to ease the tension or a joke to make a tough situation a little more bearable.

Her mind was not at ease and she had a feeling that things were about to get a lot worse, but facing it with friends, especially with a friend like Beast Boy, gave her courage. She shut the water off and dried herself with the hotel towel, leaving her hair damp so Beast Boy could get into the bathroom faster. She finally slipped into her undergarments and leotard, unlocking the door and stepping out.

"It's all yours." She smirked as she returned her stuff to her backpack.

Raven knew she couldn't sleep until Beast Boy was ready for bed, so she took the opportunity to call Starfire.

"Hello friend!" she answered in her chipper voice. "Robin has told us of your encounter with the villain Slade. I hope you are unharmed!"

"We're fine Starfire."

"Wonderful! We are traveling to your location now, and will be there within two hours! I look forward to the reunion of friends, even if it is to chase Robin's foe!"

The screen on Raven's communicator split, revealing a disgruntled looking Cyborg. "I wanna know why you guys get all the action. I was stuck in a T-ship for four hours learning about One Direction." He glanced to his right, presumably towards Starfire.

Raven smirked. "At least you didn't have to listen to them."

That opened the door to a five minute rant from Starfire about the glory that was One Direction. Raven and Cyborg tried to interrupt, but resorted to letting her monologue run its course.

"And that is why band member Harry is the most handsome!" she finally finished.

"I don't know about handsome, but he's a pretty cool guy," Beast Boy said from behind her, startling her. Maybe it was his animalistic nature, but he could move almost soundlessly. "We met at a photo shoot for People magazine once."

Raven turned to make a comment, but snapped her lips shut. He was standing there in just a pair of sweatpants, water dripping down his nicely muscled chest. _Since when did those get there?_ Raven thought hazily.

She realized she was staring, then snapped her head back around to stare into the communicator instead. Without turning, she addressed him.

"I thought you were going to the bathroom. What happened, did you fall in?" She hoped that neither Beast Boy or the other two Titans noticed her blush.

"I peed and showered. But I didn't pee in the shower," he amended, catching her look.

"Come on man, TMI," Cyborg admonished.

"Do you know when Robin will arrive?" Raven asked, moving the conversation back to business.

"Maybe another three, four hours. We'll just grab another room when we get there and he can bunk with me," Cyborg answered. "You two should go to sleep though, you'll need it tomorrow."

Raven nodded. "Thanks. I guess we'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, we will see each other most soon! Goodbye friends!" Starfire waved.

Raven said a final goodbye and shut the communicator.

As Beast Boy walked over to his bed, Raven couldn't help but notice the slight limp in his step.

"Beast Boy." He turned to look at her. "You're limping."

He sighed, lifting his affected foot and hopping the few feet to his bed. "Yeah. I think I sprained my ankle fighting Slade." He grimaced as he brought it closer, fingers gently prodding the foot.

"And you didn't tell me because...?"

"You had enough to worry about." He gave a little gasp of pain as he found the affected area. "Yep, definitely a sprain."

"Beast Boy, I can heal you. It's not even that difficult," she said with irritation. "But you have to tell me about it for me to help." She sat down on the end of his bed, motioning for him to scoot up towards the pillows. She took his ankle in her hand and examined the injury.

He smiled at her. "Thanks Rae," he said softly. He watched her as her hands started to glow a crackly blue, healing energy coursing through them.

He let her work without interruption for a while, then said her name softly.

"What?" she asked as her hands traveled around his foot.

"What did Slade say to you?" At that she looked up, though her hands continued to glow.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, the formal answer is that as a teammate, I need to know so we can be prepared to face him again. Robin will ask you the same questions tomorrow." he paused. "But you looked awfully afraid. What did he want with you?"

She sighed, her voice betraying some of her apprehension. "Honestly, I don't know. He said we had 'business to discuss.' I don't have the slightest idea what he wants with me."

"So he came here for you."

She nodded. "He sent Plasmus to lure us out and separate us."

"That guy is a scum bag." He said it viciously, surprising Raven with his conviction. "I swear Raven, he won't get near you. We won't let him. I won't let him."

"Thanks," she said genuinely, offering him a small smile. "Though you forget I can hold my own," she added lightly.

He chuckled. "Oh, I know." He continued to watch her as she worked. "What's taking so long. You're usually done by now."

She gave him a look. "I'm usually reducing the severity of the injury. Right now I'm completely healing yours. It'll be good as new when I'm done."

"Oh, thanks. Won't that make you tired?"

"Yes, but considering that I'm about to go to sleep, it's worth it." She had healed the sprain and was focusing on restoring mobility to the ankle.

He moved his eyes away from her glowing hands and towards her face, studying her. She knew he thought she wasn't watching him, but she could see him in her peripheral vision.

"You know, we never finished our game."

Raven smirked. "Yes, and if I remember correctly, it was my turn."

"Then go ahead," he grinned back.

"Alright." she thought for a minute. "Well there's no doubt that we all hate Slade, but you seemed... particularly unhappy to see him today." She narrowed her eyes at him. "When did you get a personal vendetta against him?"

He shifted in the bed uncomfortably. "You remember that day that I thought I saw Terra?" Raven nodded. "Well, I told you later it was a mistake, but... I _did_ see her, Raven."

She sucked in a breath. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. She just didn't remember who I was. Or at least she pretended not to." He hesitated for a moment. "Later, when I was trying to figure it out... I saw Slade. He told me that she didn't want to remember because she never wanted to be with me. It turned out it was just a Slade-bot, but the message was clearly from him." He paused again. "I don't know, it just really hurt to hear that. I can't stand him because of what he did to Terra."

She finished with his ankle, and turned her full attention to his face. There was such pain, such vulnerability in his eyes that it made her heart clench. "Beast Boy," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

He gave her a soft, sad smile. "It's alright. That guy has screwed us all over." He shifted his feet over the bed, gingerly placing his newly-healed ankle on the ground. Discovering that it felt perfectly normal, he stood to his full height, bouncing slightly on the foot.

"Wow, good job! It feels even better than before I sprained it!" Raven smiled, pleased with her work. "So, my turn! How does this healing thing work? Can you, like, heal yourself from anything?"

"Of course not," she said with an eye roll, "but I can heal myself from a lot. Broken bones, lacerations, internal damage. I could survive even more, if not completely heal myself from it. Other people are more difficult. Their bodies are different from mine, so of course my powers aren't as effective. But I can reduce the severity of injuries and completely heal minor ones."

"Hmm, cool," Beast Boy said. "Wait a minute, where were you when I fell down the stairs at that nightclub? Or when Cyborg accidentally gave me a black eye playing stankball? Or when I developed carpal tunnel syndrome from playing video games for too long?"

Raven raised a brow. "I don't believe in using my powers to fix problems caused by your own stupidity," Raven scowled.

"Well thanks a lot for all the help," he said sarcastically, plopping back down on the bed. "Don't be calling me for any favors."

The corner of her lips turned up as she made her way back to her own bed. She was taken off guard when her feet stumbled and her legs gave out, sending her towards the floor. Before she hit it, strong arms wrapped around her, keeping her steady. "I think I'm ready for bed, Beast Boy. I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, I see that." He helped her to her bed. "Sorry—I know it was from healing me."

"It's okay, I just need sleep," Raven yawned. "So did Terra ever recognize you?"

"Nope, no more stories for you," he said, pulling the covers over her. Raven's eyelids felt extremely heavy and her mind moved slowly, but she wanted to know how it had ended.

"Thats a question, Mr. let's-play-a-game. Unless you want to pass..." she could tell her speech was slow and laced with sleepiness, but she didn't care.

He chuckled. "Fine. No, she never did, but eventually I just let it go. Let her go. Every once in a while, I'll check up on her. She's in college now. Getting pretty good grades too. Amazing what a superhero's computer will turn up." He smiled at her from his own bed, which he shimmied into.

"Hmmm, that sounds nice." She closed her eyes.

"What does?"

"Going to college. Living a normal life." She didn't know whether it was the exhaustion or her newfound confidence in Beast Boy, but she suddenly felt very candid.

"Do you want that someday?" he asked. He was sitting up again, staring at her.

"I guess." She sighed. "I like being a superhero, and I know I'll be one for a long time, but sometimes I think about going to school. Getting a job. Having a home. Maybe some pets or a husband."

"Some pets _or_ a husband?" he asked teasingly. She gave him a watered down glare out of the corner of her eyes.

"Mind turning that light off?" she asked. It was screaming at her sleepy eyes.

"No problem," he replied. She heard two clicks as the room was submerged in sweet darkness. "You know," he whispered after a few seconds, "you still have one last question before the game is over."

She tried to count in her head, but the numbers got slippery and jumbled. She decided to just trust him.

"Yeah, okay. Uhh... how about you? What do you want to do with your life one day?"

For a minute, only silence came from his cool, dark half of the room. The spoke carefully. "I guess I'd like something like that. To be normal. I'd open a vegan restaurant in Jump City and it'd be the best in town." His voice took on a wistful quality. "And I'd like a family. If I met the right girl."

"At this rate, you've 'met' half the girls in Jump city," Raven said wryly. She couldn't help herself.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. Seriously though, it's not like I've hooked up with any of them. I just like to flirt."

Raven was skeptical, but she let the comment go. Another few minutes passed and she felt herself falling into sleep when she heard Beast Boy's whisper.

"Raven?"

"Yeah?" she whispered back.

"Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Beast Boy," she half-moaned back.

She closed her eyes again, this time effortlessly slipping into a peaceful sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Breakfast the next morning was rough. Beast Boy sat at a table in the motel lobby like a zombie. _Thank God they have a continental breakfast_, he thought while lazily stuffing fork-fulls of waffle into his mouth.

Robin, despite the fact that he arrived in the middle of the night, was energized by his determination and currently had a map of Nevada spread across his portion of the table. He had woken them all up this morning at five to get going. The rest of the team ignored him as he planned.

"So it is as I told Cyborg, one must always be prepared. We have an adequate room of bathing, no?" Starfire beamed.

"Yeah," Cyborg huffed. "She spent all morning in it."

Beast Boy chuckled as Starfire blushed. He turned to look at Raven and found her staring blankly down at the napkin dispenser.

"Uh, earth to Raven," he said hesitantly, waving a hand before her eyes. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him crossly.

Thoughts from yesterday came floating back into his head. _Raven is... kinda cute when she's glaring._

Beast Boy caught himself. _Seriously dude? I sound like a bad romance novel._ Not that he had ever actually read one. He continued to study her as she returned her attention to her tea. There was no denying it, Raven was beautiful. She had smooth, milky skin, a slender but shapely figure, and mysterious, heavily lashed eyes that Beast Boy caught himself staring into often. _It's not just me_, he reasoned. He knew for a fact that there was a very large group of men in Jump City that agreed. He'd been online. He watched TV. He read a magazine here and there. Both Raven and Starfire were considered Jump City's babes.

But physical attraction aside, did he really like her? He thought of how quick he was to spend time with her, of how much he liked being around her, even despite her insults. Of how even now, when he looked at her small hands wrapped around her mug, he thought of how nice it would be to take one of them in his. Of how he had vowed to protect her from Slade today, and would stop and nothing to make sure he kept that promise.

Beast Boy smiled to himself lightly. He had a crush on Raven. _Holy shit. I like Raven. Raven! _This was a revelation. This was groundbreaking. The more he allowed himself to think about it, the more he realized it was true. Very, very true. He admired her, he was friends with her, he was attracted to her... _How am I just figuring this out now? You've known her for like, five years._

Beast Boy tried to keep his face calm as he watched Raven return her mug to the table. She caught his stare out of the corner of her eye.

"What?"

"Oh, you know... nothing." He tried to act cool and prayed his cheeks weren't red. She rolled her eyes, but turned her attention back to the group's conversation.

_Holy shit..._

Suddenly, Robin stood from his chair and started walking towards the sliding exit doors. The rest of the team fell silent and looked at each other with confusion.

"Raven," he called, not even turning to look at her. "We're going back to the battle site." She pursed her lips for a moment, then opened them.

"Excuse me, _boss_, but what exactly are we doing? What's your plan?" She stared intently at him with narrowed eyes.

He stopped walking, sighed, then turned around. "Sorry. I'm just a little on edge. Didn't get much sleep." _Yeah, blame it on lack of sleep. _"The two of us are going to find out as much as we can about what went down yesterday. The rest of you can start tracking Plasmus again. We'll give you any info we dig up. Hopefully we'll get a lead on where both of them went."

Beast Boy watched as Raven rose to meet Robin. He was glad they would get some time apart. He needed time to sort through the feelings he just discovered he actually had. It would be weird enough without her spending the rest of the day next to him. Besides, he felt nervous around her now. Like he would let something slip or make an idiot of himself.

"Alright, Robin, we shall use the map you have left us to try and locate the villain Plasmus. I wish you most luck in your pursuit of clues!" Starfire called, her usually cheery self despite the lack of sleep.

The doors slid shut behind them as the two left the motel. Beast Boy turned back to the group. "Ok... now what?"

* * *

Though she was embarrassed to admit she didn't know for sure, Raven thought it was a weekday, which would help explain why the city center felt abandoned. _That, or they're still scared that a goo monster will attack them out of nowhere. _Either way, it only made things easier for the two as Raven led him through exactly what had happened during the battle.

"So you're not sure how Beast Boy took down Plasmus?"

"No, I had my back to him. I was fighting Slade at the time."

"But when you turned around..."

"Plasmus was there. He was asleep. I don't know what Beast Boy did, but it must have been impressive to knock him out that quickly." Raven gave a small smile as Robin looked around the area. She was proud of her teammate.

"So then the two of you engaged Slade together. Raven, what did he say to you two? What did he want?"

She knew the question would come eventually, but she still stiffened as it left his lips. "He said he sent Plasmus to lure us out of the tower and separate us. I'm assuming that means Plasmus is under his control and probably still is. They're likely still together."

Robin nodded. "That's why I sent the others after Plasmus. They'll track him and we'll track Slade. One of us should find them. But Raven, why did he come after he two of you?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"Robin... he came for me," she admitted. "He said we had some business to discuss. I swear, Robin, I have no idea what he wants from me. I don't know what he wants to discuss."

"That's what you said the last time he had a message for you," Robin said softly. "Are you sure?"

She rushed to defend herself. "Yes! I promise you Robin, Trigon is gone." _Lie._ Raven told that part of her brain to zip it. Trigon couldn't hurt them, and that was close enough to the same.

"Then we've got a mystery on our hands." Robin looked around the square. "But first we need to find him. Raven, you said there were smoke bombs?"

"Yes. He detonated them using a hand-held controller."

"And they were just planted all over the square?"

"Yes. Where are you going with this?" Raven watched as he moved around the edge of the square, looking in every flower pot, mailbox, and trashcan. Finally, he stopped in front of a flower box.

"Just what I thought. Look." He pointed towards the remnants of the smoke bomb. "These would take about fifteen minutes to install, though he probably had help from his Slade-bots." His brows drew together in concentration as he thought aloud. "He couldn't have known where you would end up, so he probably had to see which direction you were going, then send Plasmus to a town along your path. These bombs prove that the encounter here was pre-meditated. He's around this town somewhere," he concluded, looking up at her.

"Okay, so where do we start?"

"Well, like I said, he hasn't had much time here, so it's probably somewhere easily accessible, like an abandoned warehouse or an empty building." He turned from the flower pot and stalked away towards the hotel. It was such a short distance that they had just walked there.

"Where are we headed now?"

Robin smirked. "Back to the hotel. His new hiding spot will either be an abandoned building that the staff will know about, or it will be in a classified ad for a property for lease. Either way, I just know Slade is hiding right under our noses."

* * *

"We are sooo lost," Beast Boy moaned, leaning against the brick wall of the pharmacy they had passed three times. Cyborg turned the map again and again, trying to figure out where they were.

"Don't you have a GPS somewhere on that arm of yours?" he asked.

"Yeah, but this town's so small it's not even in the system."

"Then no offense, but how are we lost?" The plan was to have the two of them search the city while Starfire flew a ten mile circumference looking for clues. So far, they were out of luck.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. Wait, I think I have the map the right way now... and we're headed north when we should be headed south. Come on," Cyborg said, turning around and continuing down the sidewalk. They were trying to sweep all of the main common areas and major buildings in a grid-like pattern, but managed to get themselves turned around.

"So how was your little flight with Raven? I see you're still in one piece," Cyborg joked, nudging Beast Boy with his arm.

"You know, not so bad." Actually it was_ really_ not bad, at least after Raven decided to talk to him. "She's, um... interesting."

"So she didn't yell at you and ignore you the whole time?"

"Nope. She did at first, but let's just say with a little leverage I got her to talk," he said slyly. "We actually talked for like an hour, believe it or not."

"Uh, not!" Cyborg said incredulously. "Seriously? You're making some progress with her. Even when she's happy she's not exactly a conversationalist."

Beast Boy beamed. He liked the thought that she was opening up to _him_. "Yeah. She's pretty amazing once you talk with her for a while though." ._..Did that just come out of my mouth?_ Cyborg raised a brow.

The sound of their communicators saved him from having to elaborate. Cyborg held up his arm, the screen showing that it was Robin calling.

"What's up Rob? Found anything?"

"Yeah, we think Slade is hiding here in town still and has Plasmus with him. We have the address of an old library slated for demolition next month. I'd say that's our best bet."

Cyborg nodded. "So what's the plan?"

"I want you three to go to the building and check it out. I'm going to hang around near the front with Raven to try and lure him out. When I do, you guys can go inside and find Plasmus and anything else he's hiding. Raven and I will take care of Slade."

"All on your own?" Beast Boy asked nervously.

"We can handle him. I'm more interested in getting a look inside. That's were you'll come in. Any other questions?"

"No, Robin. I have received your coordinates and am going to the lair of Slade now!" Starfire's voice came through the transmission.

He nodded. "Good luck Titans. Robin out."

Cyborg tapped away on his arm, undoubtedly finding the coordinates of Slade's hide out. "Ok, that should be about ten blocks up and three over from here." He started moving in that direction, and Beast Boy followed wordlessly.

Okay, so Raven's essentially going to be bait. With only Robin to help her. _That's cool, no biggie,_ Beast Boy tried to reassure himself. It was funny: now that he realized he had feelings for her, they just seemed to keep growing bit by bit. Like he was growing into them and finally exploring them. And right now his feelings were telling him that if Raven was going to be bait, he should be there with her.

Logically, he knew Raven could take care of herself and would kick his butt for suggesting otherwise. He also knew that Robin, leader of the team and protégé of _Batman_ would be there with her.

Logically, he knew she would be fine. But he still couldn't shake the desire to be with her.

He sighed as he shuffled down the sidewalk next to Cyborg.

"... so what do you think?" Cyborg asked. Beast Boy hadn't even realized he started talking.

"About what?"

"Were you really not listening? I said, how about we ask Star to scope out the place first and see how many entrances there are?" He pursed his lips at Beast Boy.

"Uh, yeah, sounds good."

When they finally arrived in an alley behind the library, Starfire was there waiting for them. "Friends," she whispered, "there is only one door in the back as well as the main entrance, where Robin and Raven are standing."

"What are they doing?" Cyborg asked. "Throwing rocks at the window?"

"They are pretending to do the search for Slade on the whole street."

"Hmph," was Cyborg's only reply.

"So what, we going in the back or what?" Beast Boy asked.

"I believe we should wait until Slade has emerged to enter," Starfire suggested. "But we cannot see friends Robin and Raven, so we would not know when this will happen."

"Do you think you can find a place to spy and come back when Slade leaves?" Cyborg directed towards her.

"I'll do it!" Beast Boy offered eagerly. "Who's gonna notice a little green lizard on the wall?" _Here's my chance to check up on Rae._

"Okay, but come straight back when you see Slade and we'll go in."

"I'm on it!"

On it he was. Transforming into a small green bird, he flew up and over the library, searching for that unmistakable purple head. She and Robin were at a building across the street, pretending to check for any signs of Slade. Landing on the edge of the library's roof, Beast Boy settled in to watch the show unfold.

He studied Raven as she flew up to peer in a set of windows on the second floor. She returned to the ground, landing gracefully next to Robin. He turned and said something Beast Boy couldn't quite make out that made her smile. Beast Boy puffed up his feathers. _What's so special about what Robin says?_ he thought spitefully, tempted to shift into an animal with better hearing. He decided against it.

What he did hear was Slade's chilling voice come from below him.

"Ah, Raven and Robin. We meet again. What are the odds that the girl I'm looking for just shows up on my doorstep?" He took a few steps into the empty street, giving Beast Boy a better view.

"Slade," Robin ground out. "Long time, no see."

"Yes, it has been quite some time. Have you missed me while I was away?" he called tauntingly. Beast Boy knew now was probably the time to return to Starfire and Cyborg, but he couldn't tear himself away.

"Cut to the chase, Slade. What do you want with us?"

"Oh, Robin, I don't want anything from you. I came for Raven." Raven stiffened, and so did Beast Boy.

"Well I guess that's too bad. Because you're not getting anywhere near her." Robin had a strong, hard look on his face. He was serious, and making sure Slade knew it.

"Hmm, I was afraid that would be the case. Which is why I brought some friends." Beast Boy didn't understand what he meant until he saw the Slade-bots march from the building. There had to have been at least thirty of them. _Great,_ he moaned to himself.

"Yeah, well I've got some too, in case you forgot," Robin said with a smirk, slipping into a fighting stance. _Ok, really time to go get the others,_ Beast Boy thought guiltily.

He took flight, swooping towards the back of the Library. The commotion behind him told him the fight had already begun. He spotted Starfire and Cyborg lurking in the alley, determination in their eyes. They were going to need that confidence.

"Guys!" he said, landing on his feet as he changed. "Slade's got an army of bots in the front. Robin and Raven need help!" He turned and changed again, this time into a cheetah, not waiting to see if the others would follow.

Dashing out into the street, his eyes immediately searched for his teammates. They were back-to-back, fending off the robots from all directions.

"Looks like they could use some help," Beast Boy said to himself with a smirk before shifting into a tiger. He felt like using his claws.

He leapt into the fray, swiping and slicing and crushing the robots around him. He was always fierce in battle, but today he had some personal motivation. Slade was going down and Raven wasn't going with him.

He heard the blast of Cyborg's cannon and the sound of starbolts around him and figured the others had finally arrived. He kept his focus on the adversary in front of him, occasionally checking in on Raven.

He took one last swipe at a robot's chest, sending sparks and circuitry flying and the robot itself to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move that wasn't one of Slade's minions. It was Slade himself. He stood on the steps of the library, aiming some kind of gun into the cluster of robots. What the...? Beast Boy looked around, following the gun's trajectory.

His heart stopped when he realized the target was Raven.

"Raven!" he shouted, but it was too late. A blue laser shot from the gun, striking Raven in the side as she turned to face Beast Boy.

Her eyes rolled back as she collapsed to the ground.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter. I intended to update right away, but life got in the way. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, Marissa, katland rose, and my guest, and to those who followed and favorited! Much gratitude for supporting my story!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Raven's head was throbbing. It was the first thing she noticed when her mind started to slowly drift back into consciousness. She let out a moan as she opened her eyes. Though the room was dark, the small amount of light there was made her head scream in pain.

_What happened?_ She thought groggily, mind swimming to piece together where she was and why she was there. When her memory finally returned, Raven stiffened and took in her surroundings.

She was propped up in an armchair, centered in a room with only one, buzzing florescent light overhead. She looked down and realized that she wasn't restrained in any way, though she doubted she would just be able to walk out. She must have been captured. All she remembered was Beast Boy's voice and then a jolt of pain before everything went black. She wondered if Slade had her teammates as well.

"Oh, good, I see you're finally awake." The voice startled her. From a shadowy corner of the room, Slade emerged into the dingy yellow light. "I was starting to worry."

"Where are my friends?" She spoke calmly. Slade wasn't ready to fight her. Not yet. And she needed as much time as possible to recover before she engaged him.

"They're... otherwise occupied. It's just you and me."

"What do you want from me?" Raven slowly slid a hand up her leg, moving towards a particular compartment on her belt. Her cape hid her movements.

"Information," he stated simply. He leaned against a wall as he spoke. "After your father was defeated, I moved on from my dreams of conquering the world. I'm no longer a threat to Jump City, and the Titans are no longer a threat to me." He had been staring at the opposite wall, but now turned his face towards her. "That is, all except for you."

"And what makes you think I'm the threat? You're the one who hunted us down, attacked my friends, and kidnapped me."

"That's true. But I'm not the daughter of a demon." His eyes continued to bore into her, making Raven tense. "My sources tell me that Trigon will rise again. And he'll do it soon."

Raven felt the color drain from her face but met his statement with silence. She narrowed her eyes. She didn't know what to think. Why would Slade's 'sources' know anything about this? Then again, it would explain some things...

"Now, I don't have to explain why Trigon and I don't get along so well. If he were to rise, you and I would be on the top of his hit list. So tell me, Raven, is Trigon coming back?"

Raven pursed her lips, sizing Slade up while trying to remain cool. Meanwhile, her fingers found a small red button on the back of her communicator. She pressed the button subtly, sending out an SOS with her location to the rest of the team. "I thought your sources already gave you an answer."

She watched as his fist tightened. "I'll tell you what," he began, "You tell me the truth, I'll let you and your friends go. Lie to me... there will be consequences." They stared intensely at each other, two strong minds locked in a battle of will.

"That's not much of a choice. But I'll make a better deal. I'll tell you what I know if you tell me where you got your information. I'll even let _you_ go without a fight," she said cockily.

"Hmm, and why would you want to know that?"

Raven took a deep breath as she took a risk. "Because someone needs to let them know they're misinformed." She felt the change in Slade's demeanor. "It is impossible for Trigon to rise again. Not now, not ever." Though she said it with the utmost of confidence, underneath her impassive front she wondered if it was true. "So tell me, who are your special 'sources?'"

"Fair enough. Let's just say I have ties to the Church of Blood." He studied her, waiting for her reaction.

_Ah yes, that psycho group of Trigon-worshippers._ She smirked.

"Well how appropriate, considering they're a group of psychopaths. You must fit right in."

Slade chuckled. "Raven, I do believe your usefulness has expired. Though we did have a deal."

"About that," she interrupted, sensing four familiar presences approaching. "I hate to do this to you Slade," she said with false remorse, "but the deal's off."

A stream of blue light shot into the room, separating Raven from Slade. In the gaping hole in the wall that Cyborg just created, her four friends stood, poised for battle.

Slade looked between her and her team. "I must admit I am impressed. Very nice work with my army, Robin." He crouched down, ready for a fight.

"Titans, GO!" Robin yelled, launching into action. He whipped out his staff, slamming it into Slade's.  
The two spared as the other Titans surrounded Slade. As the villain knocked Robin off of his feet, Starfire came at him, hurling starbolts as Cyborg shot his cannon from the other. Slade ducked and rolled out of the way, ensuring each was hit by the others attack.

Beast Boy came at him next, charging him as a bull. As they met, Slade grabbed ahold of his horns, using them to flip over Beast Boy and land a kick on his back. The bull let out a cry, and Raven flinched.

Robin was on his feet again, this time coming at Slade with his bare hands. They jostled for dominance, each landing punches and kicks on the other. Finally, Slade got the upper hand once again and flung Robin against a wall.

Slade stood straight, assessing the situation. "As much as I would like to continue catching up, I have other business to attend to," he said, eyeing each of the Titans. _More like you know you can't take all five of us on at once_, Raven thought. "Farewell, Titans." Suddenly the ceiling above them exploded, leaving a cloud of dust, a hole in the ceiling, and a missing Slade.

"Am I the only one tired of him doing that?" Beast Boy asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he found his way back to his feet.

Robin ignored him, racing over to the spot where Slade once stood and shooting a birdarang cable into the space above to pull himself up. He was going after Slade.

Raven stood abruptly from the chair, intending to follow, when she felt her legs shake and her head spin. _I'm just going to have to trust Robin with this,_ she thought as she steadied herself. Whatever Slade shot her with, it was taking it's toll.

"Raven, you okay?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm fine," she replied, pointing towards the hole in the ceiling. "Get Slade!"

Cyborg and Starfire didn't have to be asked twice. They took off after Robin. Beast Boy hesitated.

"Raven, I'm not sure—"

"Go, Beast Boy," she said firmly. "I'll stay here and look for anything Slade left behind."

He looked unhappy, but didn't argue. He transformed into a bird, soaring up through the crumbling ceiling.

Raven stared at the spot for a few seconds, then went to work. She may not have been able to chase Slade, but she could at least find Plasmus. He was probably asleep; Slade would keep him dormant when he wasn't of use. She stepped through the hole from Cyborg's cannon, looking both ways down the hallway she was now in. One end looked like it lead to the main floor of the library. The other looked like more offices.

She followed her instincts and started opening the office doors one by one. She came to the last one, a double door with no windows. There was a blue glow coming from under the door. _Bingo..._

Sure enough, Plasmus was inside, the sleeping man bobbing in glowing blue water. Raven took a deep breath, testing her powers and her strength. She felt good enough for simple telekinesis, so she lifted the tank with her powers, bringing it through the doors and letting it trail behind her as she tried to find the exit. She removed her communicator and dialed a familiar number.

"I need a police helicopter at these coordinates as soon as possible. We have Plasmus." She answered a few more of the Police Department's questions, then snapped the device shut as she came to the front entrance.

Opening the doors to the outside, she was blinded by the influx of sunlight. As her eyes adjusted, she saw the dozens of robotic bodies and parts scattered around the square. That needed her attention as well.

"Great," she muttered to herself. "I'm stuck on cleanup while they're chasing Slade." She moved Plasmus' cylindrical tank so it was leaning against a corner in the entranceway. It wasn't the best scenario, but it was her only option.

After finding a dumpster, smashing all of the robotic parts, and cramming them all in with her powers, Raven was ready to collapse. When she caught sight of her teammates returning, shoulders slumped and faces scrunched in frustration, she knew Slade had gotten away. Big surprise.

"Raven," Robin started when he saw her. "I need a full report on what Slade said to you. Why was he after you?"

Raven sighed. "Can't this wait?"

"No, it can't. I need to know if Slade is still a threat."

_To lie, or not to lie._ Raven weighed her options. Though the truth was harmless, something inside her told her to hide the concern around Trigon. Call it an old habit.

"He wanted to know where Terra was. He's convinced she's alive out there somewhere." It was a good cover, considering she had come up with it so quickly.

"So why would he want you?"

"He wanted me to find her using my powers. I explained that they don't work that way. That was about when you showed up," she focused on keeping her tone passively frustrated. "He didn't seem happy, but I don't think he'll bother us again."

"Still, he has to be planning something. Slade's back from his hiatus, and we need to keep our guard up." Robin's voice was grave and determined. Raven looked at her teammates faces. They all looked just as thrilled as she was that they were starting this again. _What is it about Slade that drives him so crazy?_

Raven didn't get it, and quite frankly she didn't care. The team moved robotically through the rest of their duties, too frustrated, tired, and disappointed to put much effort into what they were doing. After handing Plasmus over to the authorities, they boarded the T-ship and headed for home. The entire ride was completely silent.

* * *

_Bed._ Raven's bed; her soft, satiny sheets, her fluffy pillows, and her comfortable mattress. There were few nights when Raven had craved the feeling of sleeping in her own bed more. She had to dig down deep inside of herself to find the energy to relocate from the seat of the T-ship to her room. It was a good thing she had her powers, allowing her to float instead of walk down the hallway.

Raven threw her backpack at the door upon entering her dark haven. She was normally very particular about keeping her room in order. Right now she didn't give a damn.

She collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to get under the comforter. Two minutes later, she was sound asleep.

_The heat seared through her skin, eliciting both pain and a strange form of pleasure. Flames licked at her bloodied feet as she dragged them over ashes. It was like her vision was tinged with red: red sky, red flames, red seas of molten lava._

_Laughter reverberated through the air. When he spoke, the sound came from all directions, in a million voices and tones, echoing throughout the wasteland he had created._

"_Who's next, daughter?" _

_Raven didn't open her eyes. She walked forward, somehow knowing where to go and how to get there. She didn't rush: every step she took brought her closer to him._

_The screams were the worst. Most of the people were crumbling stone, monuments to the lives that could no longer be saved. But the select few were still here. Living. Breathing. Waiting to die. Wishing to die._

"_Your choice, as always," she said in reply to her father's question._

_The scream came from a girl this time. "Starfire," Raven whispered. They were all there. Her friends, her teammates. Raven had tried before. Trying to save her friends wasn't going to get her anywhere now. She couldn't even save herself._

"_And the last one," he chuckled. Raven was still walking. She was in the heart of her city, minutes away from Titan's Tower. She could be on the other side of the world and still hear it. She kept her eyes closed, but could still see it. He had complete control of her mind. Fighting him was futile._

_This time, the scream was a word. It was her name._

"_RAVEN!" She knew it was Beast Boy. _

_She opened her eyes. She was there, standing before her father on Titan's island, the bodies of four slaughtered Titans at her feet._

"_You were wrong, father." He looked at her appraisingly, waiting for her to continue. "The last one is me."_

_He laughed again. The burning at her feet grew, spreading up her legs, over her chest and her arms and her face to the very ends of her hair. Her fathers laughter rang in her ears, a track to her searing pain that devoured her soul..._

Raven awoke shaking, sweat beading on her forehead. She didn't feel like screaming. She didn't feel frightened. This time, the message was clear. Tears began to fall down her cheeks, at first silently, then with shuddering gasps as waves of sadness poured through her.

This was it. She couldn't pretend anymore. She couldn't turn a blind eye to the fate that she knew, deep in her soul, would one day be fulfilled. She couldn't ignore the signs.

She sobbed. She clutched desperately at her pillow and let the tears fall freely, not bothering to dry her face. The image of her friends bodies, bloodied and burned and maimed almost beyond recognition wouldn't leave her mind. She cried for them, for herself, and for the world.

Raven didn't know how long she stayed like that. The tears finally stopped and she was left curled pitifully around her pillow, staring vacantly at the wall. She only came back to awareness when she noticed the faint glow of morning light.

She pushed her hair back, finding some of the purple strands plastered to her face. Her skin was still sticky and slick with moisture. She switched positions, sitting up on her bed and drawing her knees to her chest.

_Now what?_ Her mind wondered as she grew more lucid. She had no answers, only questions that grew by the day. Though she feared what those answers might be, she needed to know the truth. Denying that something was going on hadn't helped her so far.

Raven only had one option. There was only one place she could think of where she could find the answers she needed.

Today she would go home to Azarath.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Raven spread the sand into a perfect circle using her dark energy. The candles were lit, the ingredients in place, and the magic was coursing through her. Aside from the powers she had as the daughter of a demon, she had trained in the art of magic for years while studying under Azar.

Her room was immaculately clean and the curtains were drawn to block out the bright afternoon sunlight. She needed her usual environment to help achieve the kind of focus she needed.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Karazon Racashos Endarath...Vasirix Zendrien Azarath...Azarath, Azarath!"

She felt the pull of her soul through the portal she had created. When she opened her eyes, she was flying through the tunnel of light to Azarath, the city between dimensions. Azarath, her first home.

Unlike the last time she had visited, the journey was simple and clear. She arrived at the seal of Azarath, intended to keep out evil, and let part of her soul flow into it, allowing her inside. She landed on her knees on hard earth, squinting against the sunlight that backlit the city.

It was beautiful. It always had been to Raven. The city sat on its floating mass of earth, gleaming in the light. The city was sleek and immaculate, with architecture that included all shapes, designs, and décor, somehow merging into one aesthetic. She walked towards the city, finally reaching its far limits. Even from a distance, she could see people walking in the streets. They were all shroud in their blue cloaks, the same design as the one Raven wore.

Raven felt anxiety grow inside her. The last time she had come, the city was simply an illusion; the real Azarath had long been destroyed by Trigon. But when Raven defeated him and restored what he had demolished, it extended past earth. Azarath was also restored.

Which meant that the entire city would see or hear of her return.

Azarath was a society committed to peace, and thus against a demon such as Trigon. After her mother had become pregnant with her, they welcomed Arella and her unborn child to live a cleansed life in Azarath. They didn't know what was going to happen. They didn't see that Trigon's evil was in that child, Raven herself, until they looked into her future at the time of her birth.

At first, the people of Azarath were fearful of her and many wanted to remove her from the city. But the Azar, their leader, had seen the good inside her soul, for which Raven was thankful. She took Raven in as her own pupil, helping her to control her emotions and her magic. As Raven grew older, the people of Azarath grew to love and accept her.

She hoped that that was still true. She kept her hood down as she walked along the streets. At first, people didn't notice her; she had the same cloak and the same distinct purple hair as the rest of Azarath did. But she made the mistake of locking eyes with a passerby for too long, and watched as recognition lit their eyes.

It only took one person. They immediately pointed her out to the others, and soon the whole street was watching her, faces betraying the shock they felt.

As she continued her march down the center of the road, everyone vacated the street. The people emerged from buildings and side streets to gape at her silently as she strode towards the main passageway. As she turned onto the road that would lead her directly to Azar's temple, it only got worse. Someone had clearly alerted them for miles ahead that she was on her way, as the street was lined with people like there was going to be a parade. She could sense the surprise at her return, the confusion as to how she had escaped her fate, and the joy that she was back.

Raven sighed in relief. The still liked her. This would be a heck of a lot easier.

She finally arrived at the entrance to the temple, where both the Azar and her mother would be. Though it was called a temple and was the center of spiritual activity, it also served as a palace for the Azar and the seat of executive command. The doors opened at her approach, signaling that she was allowed to enter. She marched into the huge grand foyer, where Azar was waiting.

Raven stopped a little less than fifteen feet in front of her. They both studied each other silently for a moment, then Azar's face broke into a smile.

"My dear child, you have grown so much since we last saw each other. The city of Azarath welcomes your return!" The foyer was now filled with the high priests and priestesses, who poured in to witness her arrival. Upon hearing Azar's words, they broke into cheers and applause.

Raven returned the smile. "I've missed you all." She said softly to Azar. The woman, whose strong face had showed no signs of change over the five years Raven had been gone, grinned at Raven like a mother at a child. Raven saw her own mother, Arella, standing behind her to the right.

"Mother." She nodded in her direction to acknowledge her presence. Raven didn't see Arella in any sort of maternal capacity. She was more of a friend than a mother, and Raven had always been content with that. She returned the smile and nod.

"Tell, us Raven," Azar began as the room started to quiet down, "to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Raven tried to remain calm. There was no way she was telling this room of hundreds of people that she was concerned about another attempt by Trigon to take over. Not after they had just recovered from the last attempt.

"I came to visit my people," she supplied calmly. "It has been a long five years since I left."

"That is has been," Azar answered, seeing right through her lie, even if it fooled the rest of the crowd. She looked past Raven to address them. "Thank you all for your warm welcome of my pupil Raven. I will see you at diner tonight!" Even such a simple proclamation was met with applause when it came from the mouth of Azar.

Azar turned and Raven followed as she led her out of the foyer and down wide hallways towards her study. Raven breathed in the essence of he room as they entered, memories of her childhood flooding back.

"Please, Raven, sit." She motioned to one of the chairs in front of her desk. Instead of sitting in her usual place behind the regal desk, she sat in the other chair next to Raven, taking Raven's hands in the process.

"Azar," Raven began hesitantly, "I have to admit that I wasn't truthful when I said—"

"I know," Azar interrupted her. "That's why I brought you here. You need help, child, and I will be happy to offer you my assistance and knowledge."

That was one of the things Raven loved about her mentor: she trusted Raven as she would an adult, even before Raven really was an adult. She would offer her wisdom and help if she needed it, but allowed Raven to forge her own path and make her own decisions.

"Thank you." Raven paused, considering her wording. "As you know, the souls of all of the people of Azarath helped me to defeat Trigon and restore both of our worlds." Azar nodded, prompting her to continue. "After he was defeated, it felt as if his presence had left my mind. His presence was still inside of me, as it always will be, but he no longer lurked in my mind, waiting to strike as he did before. Lately... well, I've felt him within me yet again."

Azar looked at her with pursed lips. "How have you felt him?"

"He's been in my mind, giving me nightmares and visions. And I've felt him pulling at my soul when I've tried to use my powers."

Azar was silent for a little longer. "And do you fear his return?" The question was heavy and she spoke gravely.

"I'm not sure. Logic tells me that he cannot rise again, that it's impossible, but between these signs and a prediction from the Church of Blood, I don't know what to think." She sighed, frustrated with the whole ordeal. Azar's calming aura washed over her, making Raven instantly relax.

"The Church of Blood has been known to lie before. They are also often misinformed. If they are in contact with Trigon, they could be giving him false confidence that he could rise again, explaining his sudden interest in you," she proposed.

Raven considered her idea. "That is a possibility. I suppose that I came here for reassurance that, no matter what, Trigon cannot harm my home anymore. Either of them," she added with a smile.

Azar nodded. "And that confirmation I can give to you. It took great power for Trigon to break free of his purgatory before, and it would take great power for him to do it again. He does not have access to that kind of power, therefore he cannot rise." She smiled. "Do not worry, child, you are safe."

"It's not me I was worried about," Raven added, but was reassured. Azar wouldn't lie, or say something she wasn't certain of.

"Selfless as always, dear Raven. Now, I know you came only for information and counsel, but do you intend to stay for any longer?"

Raven sighed. She would stay just for a while longer, but she would have to come up with some explanation for her absence to feed to her teammates. "Of course I will stay for tonight, Azar, but I must leave before morning."

"Ah," Azar sighed. "Then I suppose I will have to enjoy the time I have with you then."

"I suppose," Raven replied, giving her mentor a small smile.

* * *

Raven was shown to her old room. It was just as she had left it, signaling that someone must have come it to clean it every once in a while. Every one of her limited number of possessions was in it's place. That was, except for the note she had left on the bed, explaining her decision to travel to Earth. Trigon would destroy her wherever she was, and she didn't want that place to be Azarath. _A lot of good that did me,_ Raven thought bitterly.

She was looking forward to the dinner. There would be amazing food, music and toasts, and although it would be a large group, they would be old acquaintances.

She flipped open her communicator, sitting on her bed so her back was facing a blank white wall. She punched in Robin's code.

"Raven," he said, surprised to see her. "I'm assuming you're not at the tower if you're calling me. Where are you? What's the problem?"

"Relax, Robin, everything is fine." She tried not to roll her eyes at his paranoia. "I'm going to be gone for the rest of the night. I'm doing a favor for a friend of mine." It was vague, but believable.

"What friend?" he asked skeptically. She narrowed her eyes at his tone.

"I have other acquaintances, you know," she said with mild irritation.

"Uh, right. Well, have fun. We'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

Raven nodded. She flipped the communicator closed. Time moved faster here in Azarath. While it was only four in the afternoon there, it was already dark out here. She would stay here throughout the night, putting her home at around midnight in the Tower.

She stood from the bed, ready to go to the dining hall.

* * *

Though Raven hated being the center of attention, she still managed to enjoy diner. Seeing her old teachers, her old friends, and being in her old world brought back such good memories that she was tempted to stay for longer.

She didn't, though, as she feared Robin would grow suspicious. She said her goodbyes to Azar, Arella, and a collection of her old acquaintances before teleporting herself back to her room in the tower. She smiled as she returned the candles to their home and cleaned the sand from her floor. It was nice to see her birthplace alive again, but she was glad to be home.

She decided to stop by Robin's room before going to bed. The lights were off in the Tower, signaling that most had already gone to their rooms for the night. Raven checked her communicator. It was 11:55. _Knowing Robin, he'll still be up._

She knocked on his door three times when she arrived, and waited. A few moments passed. She expanded her mind to sense his presence if he was sleeping, but she found the room empty.

She sighed, realizing where he was. She turned and headed for the evidence room.

Sure enough, he was hunched over his laptop in the dimly-lit room, pouring over information about Slade. He had to have noticed when the door opened, but he didn't even turn.

"I thought we were over your obsession with Slade," she said, trying to pull his attention from his work.

"I'm trying to protect my team and my city," he answered coldly, still typing away. Raven stared at him with a sad feeling.

"I know you are, Robin. But you can't do that without a clear mind." He grunted in reply. "As you can see, I'm back. Goodnight, Robin."

"Goodnight."

She left the evidence room without a word, returning to her own quarters with heavy steps. _At least he won't be focused on me,_ she thought, though the idea didn't ease her mind any.

* * *

So this one was... different. Let me know whatcha think!

XOXO Gwen


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Raven awoke the next morning feeling the best she had in days. She felt refreshed, energetic, and ready to tackle whatever came her way now that she had resolved her dilemma with Trigon.

She didn't realize, however, that what would come her way next was more party-planning.

That morning in the common room, the Titans (minus Robin, who everyone presumed was still in the evidence room) were all engaged in a very heated game of cards.

As she very rarely did, Raven decided to join in. Her elevated mood led her to decide that a little time with her friends would be a great idea. It was, until a comment of Starfire's brought the torrent of irritation over her birthday party back.

"Friends, I am expecting a large package for the planning of Raven's celebration. Please, keep out the eye for it." She laid down her next card, failing to realize how that would distract the two boys.

"Uh, oh," Cyborg said, turning towards his green partner. "That's next Friday, right? Dang, I forgot all about it!"

"I fear Robin has as well," Starfire sighed. "He has not yet left the room of evidence since our return."

"Yeah, well he better hurry up and get with the program!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "How are we going to do this thing in less than a week?"

Raven listened to their conversation silently. _Great,_ she thought, _just what I needed: my team reenergized about this stupid party._

She tossed her cards on the table and propped her chin on her hand as they droned on. The game was forgotten; they had moved on to bigger and less desirable things.

Raven cleared her throat loudly, but they didn't hear her. Or they ignored her. Whatever the case, Raven figured her time with the team was up. She rose to return to her room.

"Raven!" Beast Boy called from behind her as she moved up the stairs. She turned and raised an eyebrow. "We really have to get going on the food and drinks for the party," he said quietly, not wanting the others to overhear him.

"Correction: _you_ have to get going. We agreed I would help, but it's your responsibility."

"Okay, okay well now I'm going and I need help!"

He sounded desperate. Raven sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"I've got a few recipes I need to try out today. I'm going to the grocery store, but I'll be back at one. Meet me in the kitchen."

Raven's brow furrowed. "Aren't we getting it catered?"

"Well, yeah, but I want to try out the recipes first to tell them exactly what to make."

Raven had never had anything to do with a caterer or really even a party for that matter. It sounded fishy to her, but who was she to argue?

"Fine," she conceded as she disappeared through the double doors, "I'll see you at one."

* * *

Raven took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she entered the common room. Beast Boy was in the kitchen, taking food and kitchen implements out of grocery bags that littered the counter.

"Hey!" he called as he noticed her arrival. "Right on time!"

"I'm just so eager to begin," she said with an eye-roll.

"Oh, you will be once we get started!" He radiated excitement, and Raven couldn't help but catch some of his spirit.

"So, where do I start?"

"Help me take this stuff out of the bags and put the cold stuff in the fridge until we need it. Then wash your hands." He moved through the bags as he spoke, pulling out a large variety of ingredients and implements.

"Do we really need all of this stuff?" Raven asked, picking up something that looked like a giant syringe.

"Yes, we do." He started to speak in a French accent. "Today ve vill be cooking food of ze highest caliber." He stopped when he noticed Raven's sour face. "What? That bad?"

"I think my ears are about to start bleeding."

"Yeah, yeah, very funny." Raven moved to the sink to wash her hands. With her back turned towards him, she couldn't help but smile as he continued. "So here's what I'm thinking. Sushi, for sure, because everyone loves sushi and this is California. And it's bite-size and easy to eat. Oh, and I have this amazing recipe for a Rainbow roll..." She didn't really pay attention to what he said, but his enthusiasm was charming.

She shook her head. _He really is something else..._

"What? No on the bruschetta?" Apparently he had noticed her movements.

"No, I think the bruschetta is fine. I'm impressed you even pronounced that correctly," she added teasingly.

"Vat? Do you not remember zat I speak French?" he asked in that horrible accent.

"Stop that," she chastised. "And bruschetta is Italian."

"Oh. Well, wherever it's from, we're serving it here!" Raven dried her hands on the towel by the sink, then went to join him. "By the way, I picked up a little present for you!" From the tone of his voice, Raven could tell she wasn't going to like it. He pulled something out of the last bag and held it up in front of her. "Ta-da!"

It was a purple apron, complete with lace trim and ties around the neck and back. She stared at it for a moment. "No way."

"Hey, you could get something on your leotard if you don't wear it."

"I have others."

"Come on, Raven, I even got a matching one for myself!" He pulled out another, manlier version and began to tie it around himself. "I said I was going to teach you how to cook and this is part of the process."

She rolled her eyes but snatched the garment from him, frowning contemptuously as she tied it around her waist. "Happy?"

"Very." He adverted his eyes as his face reddened slightly. _Odd_, she thought as she studied him.

"Okay, what are we making first?" she asked.

"Well, I'd say let's start with the gougères," he replied smoothly. She stared at him again.

"You got all of this stuff off of the internet, didn't you?" She let her eyes bore into him, encouraging a truthful answer.

"No!" he said defensively. She made her gaze even more intense, to which he picked up a book off of the counter and held it out.

"_Fancy Hors d'Oeuvres at Home_," she read from the cover. _Yep, that explains things. _"Alright, master chef, what is a 'gougère?'"

"A gougère is a french cheese puff: they're little balls of pastry with cheese in the dough. Fancy-sounding, huh?" He beamed with pride at his selection.

"Uh-huh," Raven replied, watching as he started clearing a space on the counter.

"Alright, Raven, I need the milk, butter, salt, bread flour—it says what kind on the front of the bag," he supplied as she scrambled to find what he wanted, "five eggs, pepper, nutmeg, and the shredded Gruyère cheese... over there," he said, pointing. Raven used her powers to line the things up in front of him. She had trouble finding the nutmeg. It was like a "Where's Waldo?" puzzle looking for anything in the sea of materials that covered the counter. Raven was fed up.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she chanted, ignoring Beast Boy's shouts of "what are you doing?!"

All of the stuff on the countertop levitated into the air, floating above them until Raven determined they were of use. _That's better,_ she sighed, gaining a peaceful feeling as the clutter dissipated. She found the nutmeg and put it in line with the rest of the ingredients. She caught Beast Boy out of the corner of her eye laughing.

"What?" she ground out.

"You. You're something else, you know that?" Funny. She had just been thinking the same thing about him. "Alright, turn the stove on and get cracking. Literally. I need you to crack five of those eggs."

"Wait a minute,_ you're_ using real eggs?" Raven smirked.

"Yeah, well, you win some and you loose some. Cyborg said I had to," he admitted. "I'm a little more lenient about animal products because it doesn't do too much harm to them. But you better believe these are organic eggs from free-range hens!"

He set a bowl in front of her after she placed a pot on the heated burner. "Crack them into here and whisk them." He moved his attention to the stove, leaving Raven to her own devices.

She picked up an egg. It was brown with little spots all over it. _Crack the egg, Raven,_ she told herself, trying to build her confidence. She had to admit, Beast Boy could mop the floor with her in the kitchen. She would_ not_ ask him for further instruction.

She knew that she needed to "crack" the egg shell so that the stuff inside would go into the bowl. She doubted that the shell tasted very good. However, how to go about the task was the real dilemma. She turned the egg over and over in her hand, feeling it's cool smoothness.

_Ok, Raven, three, two, one..._ She thrust her thumb up into the side of the egg in the hopes of creating a hole to drain the insides into the bowl. Instead, the whole shell crumbled in her hands, depositing not only the gooey, eggy insides but half of the shell as well. Raven stiffened as she stared down at her mess. _Definitely not what I was going for. _She had overestimated the strength of the eggshell.

She turned her head stealthily to see if Beast Boy had been watching. He seemed immersed in what he was doing. _Good_, she thought, _I have a few seconds to fix this_. She used her black energy to pick up each fragment of eggshell out of the bowl, moving them all to the trashcan. The egg goo was in the bowl as if she had cracked it perfectly. _Thank God for telekinesis._

She used her powers to move the remaining four eggs above the bowl, remove a chunk of the shell from the sides, and let them drain into the bowl, shell-free. As soon as she was satisfied with the result, the empty shells found their way to the trashcan.

Now all she had to do was figure out what the hell "whisking" was.

She knew what the English definition of the word meant; to whisk something was to move it quickly or nimbly. How that applied to cooking, she did not know. She stared down at the bowl, studying its contents. The liquid was mostly clear, but had little circles of yellow mass floating in it. An idea hit Raven.

_I must have to get those yellow things out! _Raven thought excitedly. _"Whisk" them away! There's no way you want to leave those things in there._

Proud of her problem solving, she reached into the drawer below her and produced a metal spoon. She stuck it into the bowl and neared the first dot of yellow. She positioned the spoon under it, ready to scoop it to the surface, but as she brought the spoon up the yellow leaked over the sides, melting into the clear liquid as if it too was not solid. Raven huffed in exasperation. _Fantastic! s_he thought. _Not even my powers can separate that out of there now! _She tried again on another dot, finding the same result. _Maybe that's what the syringe was for..._

A voice came from behind her.

"Uh, what are you doing?" It was Beast Boy, of course, and he sounded on the verge of laughter.

"Whisking the egg. Or at least I was trying to. I have to start all over again, don't I?" she sighed. That sent him over the edge. He started laughing at her like she had just done something hilarious.

"What did I do?" she asked defensively.

"This," he said, procuring some sort of metal wire contraption, "is a whisk. You use it to whisk, or _stir,_ the egg yolk—that's the yellow part—with the egg whites."

He handed the contraption to her and she turned towards the bowl indignantly, plunging the whisk into the egg mixture and stirring it around.

"You really have no clue what you're doing, do you?" he asked. "You don't even know what an egg looks like. Have you ever seen ingredients before they're made into food?"

"No," she answered hotly, continuing to stir. The yellow blended with the white into a nice, creamy color. "I have no reason to cook."

"I guess not," Beast Boy replied with a chuckle, mercifully returning to his work. Raven was thoroughly embarrassed. _I feel like Starfire,_ she thought.

After a few minutes of silence, Beast Boy turned back to her. "Ready with those eggs?" She held out the bowl. "Ah, ah, ah, _you're_ going to add them." Raven opened her mouth to protest, but Beast Boy cut her off. "It's easy, I promise. I'm going to stir the mixture while you slowly add the eggs. Just pour a little at a time," he said in an encouraging voice.

She came over towards the stove and positioned the bowl over the pot. She looked down into it to discover some kind of dough.

Beast Boy moved in to stand beside her, returning his wooden spoon to the pot. They stood shoulder to shoulder, Raven pouring while Beast Boy stirred.

"That's good... a little slower... perfect!" He beamed down at her as she followed his instructions. She returned the smile, glad to finally be doing something right. When they were finished, Beast Boy added the cheese and turned the stove off, moving the pot to a different burner.

"Well, that was interesting." Raven stared at their creation. "How are people supposed to eat that?"

Beast Boy simply stared at her for a few seconds. Then he burst into laughter so intense she thought he would fall on the floor. Her face reddened and she scowled at him.

"I'm... sorry... you're just so clueless!" he said, gasping for air. That only angered her further.

"Well I'm sorry I'm not a professional chef, Beast Boy, but some of us have better things to do!" She shouted. Suddenly, the plethora of floating ingredients above their heads came crashing to the ground, bursting as her powers tore them to shreds. Raven covered her head with her hands as the food rained down.

When she looked up, the kitchen was covered in food. There was an explosion of colors, textures, and consistencies smeared on top of the counter, the floor, and all over Beast Boy. She looked down at herself, only to find she was covered as well.

Beast Boy looked around the room, then at Raven. "Well, looks like I bought those aprons for nothing."

Raven started giggling. She didn't know what came over her. Maybe it was the ridiculousness of the situation. She was standing in a kitchen, wearing a freaking apron, covered in sauces, liquids, and smashed produce like she had been swimming in them. After she had just been _cooking_. Her giggles turned into full-on laughter as Beast Boy joined in. She was turning hysterical, and soon tears were falling from her cheeks as she gasped for air.

_What's wrong with me?_ Everything had gone so wrong. She couldn't even control herself for thirty minutes. She slumped to the floor as her hysteria died down and Beast Boy followed her, sliding down to sit with his back against a cabinet.

"Hey," he said gently, "what's wrong? This?" he asked, gesturing to the mess around them. "I can clean this. This kind of stuff happens."

She looked at him incredulously. "No it doesn't," she sniffed. "It only happens to me. I'm sorry Beast Boy, I've ruined—"

"Stop it," he said firmly. "You haven't ruined anything. I find this entire experience hilarious."

"Yeah," she sighed, recovering slightly from her breakdown. "Hilarious. Have fun washing the eggs out of your hair."

He chuckled, then a mischievous look came over his features. He reached down to the floor, running his finger through a pile of sour cream, then, before she knew what was happening, he smeared it all over her nose.

Her eyes widened as she processed his actions. _Does he think he wants a food fight?_ Raven thought, eyes narrowing. _Because he doesn't know what he's getting himself into._

She reached out with her powers, grabbing the container of milk from the counter. His face fell as he realized her intensions. Raven saw his mind calculating, his fight or flight response kicking in.

He chose flight. He darted from behind the counter towards the living room, Raven's floating milk chasing after him. "That's cheating!" he yelled as he sprinted behind the couch.

"What's cheating?" Raven asked innocently as the milk poured all over his side. "I didn't know there were any rules in a food fight."

He stood to his full height confidently, energy playing in his eyes. "If that's the way you want to play, it's on."

Beast Boy changed into a cheetah, running towards the kitchen at blinding speed. The next thing Raven knew he was in his human form, hand in the gougerè. He took a heaping handful of the gooey mixture and drew his arm back, poised to fire.

"Beast Boy," she said, backing up slowly with her hands out in front of her. "Let's be reasonable."

"Sorry," he replied. "There are no rules in a food fight." He flung the dough at her as she ducked, but it still hit her in the shoulder. He continued to pelt her with dough. She was hit in the back, on legs, on the stomach—his last handful of dough even hit her on her butt as she tried to flee from his attack.

"Alright!" he shouted. "Right on the ass!"

Raven turned, belligerent at his crass exclamation. He would have to pay for that. She looked at the floor to see what she had to work with, then raced towards the fridge with an idea in mind. She threw open the door, pulling out a package of Cyborg's bacon.

Beast Boy gasped. "You wouldn't!" he cried.

"Oh, I would," she replied with a devilish grin. She ripped a hole in the plastic packaging and took out a handful of the raw bacon, flinging it at Beast Boy. It spread out buck-shot style, a couple of pieces finding their moving target.

"I've been hit!" Beast Boy yelled as he tried to take refuge under the kitchen table. "I've been hit by flying bacon!"

"Serves you right for starting this!" Raven shouted as she sprinted after him, shooting handful after handful of the slimy meat at him.

They went full circle to the kitchen once again, where Beast Boy dove for the fridge. He yanked the door open, pulled out two two-liters of coke, and cut the tops off of them with one clawed finger. Raven was confused as to what he was doing until he transformed into an elephant.

He sucked the soda down in seconds through his trunk, aiming the long tube at her. She froze, her eyes widening. She stood that way for what felt like an eternity, until he took in a deep breath and blew.

Raven closed her eyes as she was showered in coke. "BEAST BOY!" she yelled, but he wouldn't cease the stream. She took a gasping breath and realized she was laughing. "Beast Boy stop it! Stop it!" she laughed, holding up her arms to try and shield her face. He finally ran out of coke and let out a triumphant trumpet.

At that moment, the doors to the common room slid open, and Robin came racing in. He froze at the top of the stairs, gaping at his two teammates and at the state of the common room.

Raven didn't move a muscle. She turned only her eyes to look at Beast Boy, who she noted was back in human form. They had been caught red-handed.

Robin opened his mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again, and closed it again. He turned on his heel and marched from the common room without a word.

As soon as the door closed, Raven heard stifled laughter coming from the kitchen. She pursed her lips, trying to contain her own laughter. When she locked eyes with Beast Boy, they both lost it.

She made her way back to the kitchen, and they both slumped once again on the floor, giggling like two little schoolgirls.

"I've gotta say Raven," Beast Boy said to her with a smile. "I never in a million years thought I would be sitting on the kitchen floor with you, covered in the contents of our refrigerator, laughing hysterically about a food fight."

Raven shook her head. "Neither did I, Beast Boy. Neither did I."

* * *

AN: So, um, this one's a little out of character. However, I just couldn't resist letting Raven have some fun. :) Thank you so much for reading!

XOXO Gwen


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Sorry this took so long to post. This chapter just didn't want to write itself.

Also, a word of warning: this chapter contains some coarser language towards the end. This story is rated T, and I made a judgement call that if PG-13 movies can put the f-word in there once, so can I. I'm sorry if this offends anyone.

This chapter is dedicated to my beta reader, Steve6363. He is such a huge help in producing this story and he puts up with my crazy.

XOXO Gwen

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, any brand names mentioned, or the song mentioned.

* * *

**Chapter 16**

It was determined (by Robin) that Beast Boy would select a caterer tonight. Robin never said a word about the kitchen fiasco yesterday and Beast Boy wasn't sure if it was because he was angry beyond words, or if, since they cleaned the entire mess, he just figured there was no harm done. Beast Boy had his doubts about the latter option.

Robin was walking past Beast Boy in the hallway later that night when he turned to him and simply said, "Beast Boy, pick a caterer and test the food out by tomorrow night. _They_ will come up with what to serve."

_Well alright then_, Beast Boy fumed, but he did acknowledge he had gotten off easily.

After spending some more quality time with Google, Beast Boy decided on a promising Italian restaurant that catered. It was reviewed as the best Italian in the city and after he called about pricing, he determined it was the most expensive as well. _Glad I'm not paying for it_, he thought with nonchalance.

In addition to talking with their catering division, he made a reservation for he and Raven for tonight to sample some of the food. At least, that was what he told himself.

When the restaurant asked him if he wanted to come by one night for a complementary meal, the first thought he had was, _I have to bring Raven. _When he realized that this was one of the nicest restaurants in the city, meaning a suit and tie, gentlemanly behavior, candles, music, and maybe, just maybe, Raven in a dress, he arrived at his second conclusion: that this would be a date.

He debated about the accuracy of that statement, considering that Raven wouldn't be thinking along the same lines. But the structure was there. There would be a quiet corner of the restaurant, dim lighting, formal attire, a few glasses of wine and voila! An infectious atmosphere of romance! Or so he hoped.

The mental image prompted him to respond that yes, he and a guest would be there for dinner at seven. Now he just had to break the news to Raven.

Ever since he realized he had feelings for her, he had been a ball of nerves. He hoped she couldn't see right through him. She just had those searing purple eyes. They were beautiful, but like Medusa's, if you stared too long, Beast Boy was sure you'd turn to stone.

He found her in her room, as usual. "Raven?" he called apprehensively after knocking. "You in there?"

The door slid open to reveal the girl in her usual garb, a book in hand. Beast Boy blanked. "Do you need something?" she asked after a few seconds of silence. _Idiot, _he chastised himself. _Say something!_

"Uh, yeah. So you know how we're supposed to pick a caterer and food and stuff and well, we haven't done it yet, but Robin said I had to do it by tonight so I got all panicky until I found this Italian restaurant and it looks pretty cool and there's plenty of vegetarian options and—"

"Beast Boy." Raven looked at him with one brow raised. "What's your point?"

"Well, I'm—I mean _we're_ going to the restaurant tonight for a complementary dinner." He shut his mouth now that it was all out and just smiled at her.

She pursed her lips. "Well I suppose this is leagues above the idea of _us_ cooking anything," she said with a smirk. "When are we leaving?"

"I'll meet you in the common room at 6:30. Our reservation is for seven." He watched her face carefully, working diligently to analyze her reactions.

"It's a date," she said with a smile, stepping back to allow the door to close. Beast Boy was so flustered from her comment that he almost forgot to mention the last detail.

"Oh, and by the way, it's a really nice restaurant, so you have to wear a dress!"

It was amazing how one word could turn a smile into a scowl.

* * *

Raven hesitated outside of the door. She had been standing there silently for five minutes, a war raging in her mind. She knew she had to do it, but _oh_ how she didn't want to.

Tentatively, she formed her hand into a fist, brought it up towards the door, and knocked once lightly. The door slid open within seconds.

"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed as her eyes lit up. Raven rarely visited her friend's room; it was typically the other way around.

"Hey Starfire," she said glumly. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Of course," Starfire replied as her face changed with concern. She stood aside from the doorway for Raven to enter. "May I ask of what do you wish to speak?"

Raven sighed. _You have to do it, you have to do it._ "Um, I'm going out to dinner tonight with Beast Boy and um... I need to borrow a dress." There. It was out.

Starfire's face lit up like the sun. "Oh, how glorious, friend! Tell me, to where are you going?"

"I don't know. Some nice restaurant. Apparently they gave us a free dinner after Beast Boy booked them for catering."

"And friend Beast Boy has invited you!" Starfire sang. She had a peculiar look in her eye, like she knew something Raven didn't. Raven drew her brows together.

"What?"

"Nothing friend Raven!" she quickly supplied. Before Raven had time to be suspicious, Starfire had her by the arm, dragging her towards the girl's expansive closet.

"Now," she began, sitting Raven down on her bed as she rummaged through the closet, "what color do you desire to wear? Pink? Purple? Lilac? Fuchsia?"

Raven stared at some of the choices she held up. "Uh, do you have anything without bows on it? Or ruffles? Or that's pink?"

"Hmm," Starfire thought about the choices she had. "I do not believe so." Her face looked frustrated until it suddenly lit up again. "This evening requires a journey to the mall of shopping!" she declared, rushing back towards Raven. Raven held up her arms in protest.

"Starfire, wait! I really don't think that's—" She was cut of as Starfire grabbed her arm and yanked her forward, flying hastily down the hallway and towards the roof with Raven in tow. "Starfire!" she complained, but it was no use. Soon they were flying through the air towards Jump City.

As they were about halfway across the water, Starfire let go of Raven's arm. Though almost every cell in her body told her to turn around and retreat to the safety of the tower, she willed herself to keep flying. She did need a dress. And though she had never been shopping with Starfire for something she needed, she figured it wouldn't be that much different from her trips to help expand Starfire's wardrobe.

She was wrong on that account. Starfire shopped with the determination of a mother bear protecting her cubs. She was fierce, focused, and agile, moving from one store to the next like they were about to close. Raven lost count of how many times she was shoved into a fitting room with an armful of clothes, but after the fifteenth store she had lost hope.

"Starfire, can we please just pick one and be done already?" she groaned from a fitting room. "The black one was... nice."

"Which black one?" Starfire asked from the other side of the curtain. "The one that was made for the grandmother or the one that looked like the potato's sack?"

_Ouch. That was harsh,_ Raven thought as she zipped herself into another garment. This one was black as well, which gave it bonus points in Raven's opinion. Without looking at herself, she parted the curtain and stepped outside for Starfire's critique.

The girl's green eyes grew wide.

"Fine, I'll go put the next one on," Raven huffed as she turned.

"Stop!" Starfire exclaimed. "Friend, you no longer have to do the trying on of the dresses, as I believe we have found 'the one.'" Her face slowly spread into a smile as she spoke.

Surprised, Raven looked around for the nearest mirror. She found an expansive three-way version and walked slowly towards it.

The dress was black, with a full skirt that flowed out from her waist and a sweetheart neckline, though it had a sheer panel that came up over her chest to meet with a black collar around the neck. The outer layer of fabric was sheer and lightweight.

"It is made of the chiffon of silk," Starfire informed her as she followed Raven to the mirror. It wasn't exactly Raven's style—not that she had much of one—but it accentuated her curves nicely, was fairly conservative, and wasn't too short. It fell at about three inches above her knee.

Raven gave Starfire a small smile in the mirror. "I don't hate it."

Starfire squealed, then all but pushed Raven back into the changing room, babbling something about accessories and shoes. As soon as the dress was off of her body, it was back in Starfire's hands. By the time Raven redressed and left the room, Starfire had already bought the garment and was waiting for her with the bag in hand.

"You know we have three hours before we have to be back, right?" Raven asked her friend. Raven herself was already exhausted and they had only been there for an hour and a half. She eyed the benches that lined the mall longingly.

"But Raven, if we spend our time shopping we will not have adequate time for the doing of the hair and makeup."

Raven stopped in her tracks, causing Starfire to turn in alarm. "Raven?"

"Starfire, you and Beast Boy can force me into a dress and out to dinner tonight, but there is going to be no "doing" of the hair and makeup. Understand?" She started walking again.

Starfire nodded dejectedly. "As you wish, friend Raven." Raven knew that she was trying to make her feel guilty. _And I'm not falling for it_, she thought as she eyed Starfire suspiciously. She had boundaries.

This time it was Starfire who stopped. Raven turned to look what she was staring at. The first thing she saw were the letters D, S, and W.

Then she looked through the windows. The store was massive with aisle after aisle after aisle of shoes. Starfire looked like she was about to salivate. "Friend, we have arrived at our final destination."

Raven sighed as she marched through the front door in a bold move. "Come on," she huffed, "let's get this over with."

Raven wasn't quite sure what it was about shoes. Heels were designed to be uncomfortable, unsteady, and in her opinion unattractive contraptions that women felt the odd compulsion to strap to their feet every day. Whereas Starfire went through dresses like this was _The Fast and the Furious: Shopping Edition_, she picked up each pair of display shoes like they were precious works of art, oohing and aahing over every sequin.

Fortunately, Raven only had to actually try on two pairs before they found the right ones. I suppose fit doesn't matter as much with shoes, Raven thought as she stood, a little unsteadily, on her chosen pair. They were simple black evening shoes with straps around the foot and her ankles. The only problem was the three inch heels.

"They aren't completely awful, but there's no way I can walk in these Starfire." She frowned at herself in the mirror.

"Of course you can!" Both girls turned to identify the owner of the voice. A model-tall employee with long brunette hair and sky-high stilettos came gliding over to them like she was floating. Raven didn't like her already.

"Walking in heels is an art form, but anyone can learn it with a little practice," she said with a warm smile. Starfire looked delighted. Raven knew she looked skeptical. "Raven, right?" Raven nodded. _Fantastic. The Teen Titans are getting a lesson in walking in heels in front of the entire store._ She was thoroughly embarrassed, though she feared the worst had yet to come.

"Okay, Raven, I want you to stand up straight, arch your back a bit, look straight ahead and walk for me." She had a very nice, encouraging look on her face that Raven wanted to wipe off. _Calm down,_ she commanded herself._ It's not fair to take this out on the sales girl. _She did as she was instructed, desperately hoping she didn't look like an idiot.

"That's good, just make sure you're bending your knees all the way back when you walk." Raven continued to parade up and down the aisle, glaring at another shopper who had the audacity to pull out their camera phone. They quickly put it back. "Now see if you can step heel-toe, like you would without heels. You just put less weight on your heel and of course you have less surface area to balance on." She and Starfire watched her, offering praise and pointers as she practiced.

"Well, I think you have it!" The sales associate beamed. "You look fantastic. Really," she affirmed when she caught Raven's skeptical glance. Starfire thanked the girl profusely as she helped them check out.

Raven had never been so happy to leave the mall before.

* * *

_6:15. _Beast Boy watched the second hand on his watch tick slowly around its circle as he stood apprehensively in the common room, waiting for Raven.

After dusting off his old suit this morning and discovering it didn't fit, he'd had to make a special trip to the department store downtown in a frantic search for one. It turned out okay, though; he managed to find one that fit him perfectly, no tailoring required. He paired it with a simple black tie and a white button-down. He felt good in the ensemble. He just hoped Raven liked it.

_6:20_. He had asked Cyborg to borrow the T-car. He knew he had to approach the topic delicately, so he picked the best time he could think of: when Cyborg was distracted and thus much less likely to think it through.

He found him playing a video game in the common room after he returned with his new suit. Cyborg was playing a racing game in one-player mode. Beast Boy grinned slyly, an idea popping into his head.

"Hey Cy," he said nonchalantly as he hopped over the couch.

"Hey," Cyborg muttered back, focused intensely on the game. He wasn't doing spectacularly well, which is what gave Beast Boy the idea in the first place. Though Cyborg didn't know it, while he was upgrading technology in the main room, Beast Boy had been using the Titan's mainframe to play this game and had gotten quite good at it.

"So Raven and I are going to this fancy restaurant tonight and I'm gonna take the T-car, if that's alright with you," he threw in casually. Beast Boy thought Cyborg was going to drop the controller.

"If that's alright with me? Of course it's not alright with me! I've told you a million times you can't drive the T-car!" he yelled at Beast Boy. Game forgotten, Cyborg's car crashed into a building, causing him to lose the game. "Great," he grumbled.

"Hey, why don't you race me for it?" Beast Boy said with feigned excitement. Cyborg narrowed his eyes at him. "You're the one who always says you're the master of video games. 'Sides, I've only played this a few times." He put on a pleading expression. "C'mon Cy, if I win, I get to take the T-car tonight."

"And if I win?" Cyborg asked.

"Um... I'll do your laundry for a week."

"Two weeks. And you're on," Cyborg declared confidently. Beast Boy tried to keep his smirk contained.

_6:25_. He began to pace the common room floor, the keys to the T-car jangling in his pocket. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think of conversation topics for tonight. With Raven as his date, he would need them. Although he couldn't complain—he wouldn't rather be with anyone else.

She had slammed the door in his face at the mention of the dress, but she was still planning on coming, right? The thought only made him more nervous as he watched his watch hit six thirty.

Punctual as usual, Raven walked through the common room doors only seconds later. Beast Boy gulped.

She was stunning. There was the dress, of course. It was pretty and soft-looking and accentuated her slender figure. Her hair was the same way it always was, as was the rest of her. Well, except for the shoes. _I didn't know Raven even did heels_, he thought with awe as he watched her glide down the stairs.

But the most beautiful thing about her was the smile that softly graced her lips when she caught sight of him waiting for her.

"Uh, you look fantastic," Beast Boy managed, hoping he sounded somewhat smooth.

Her smile pulled up in one corner. "Thanks. You don't clean up too badly yourself." She cocked her head to the side slightly. Beast Boy was confused until he realized she was waiting for him to say something.

"So, I got the keys to the T-car, if you're ready to go." Raven stared at him, shocked.

"Did you steal the keys to the T-car?"

"No!" he quickly supplied. "Of course not! I'll have you know, Cyborg gave them to me. Willingly!"

She narrowed her eyes, but they were still alive with laughter. "Right," she drawled. "Well I'd suggest we leave before he changes his mind."

Beast Boy nodded with a smile, ready to leave not out of fear of Cyborg, but out of a desire to get Raven alone in the restaurant.

As they walked down the hall towards the garage, Beast Boy took Raven's hand and looped in his bent arm. She looked up at him in surprise.

"I'm being a gentleman," he explained, taking on a playful tone as if it should be obvious. "I'm escorting my lady to dinner."

"Ah," Raven said. Surprisingly enough, she didn't pull away. "I didn't know you were capable of that kind of behavior," she teased.

"Oh, you'll see just how gentlemanly I am here in a minute, miss skeptic." She rolled her eyes, but continued down the hallway.

Feeling Raven's small hand in the crook of his arm, knowing that they were about to share time together, and feeling that she was truly happy to be with him... _it doesn't get any better than this,_ Beast Boy thought with a smile.

* * *

After the incident on the moped, Raven wasn't expecting very much out of Beast Boy's driving. In fact, she was kind of hoping he would just let her teleport them. But this _was_ his first opportunity to drive the T-car and he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. She didn't know how he had gotten Cyborg to agree to this, but she suspected bribery.

Cyborg would be happy to know that his beloved car was in good hands though. Beast Boy handled the car smoothly and drove cautiously, much to Raven's relief. The restaurant wasn't far; it was in the top of a tower overlooking the bay. As they pulled up to the front entrance, valets rushed forward to greet them. Beast Boy tossed one the keys as another opened the door for Raven and held out a hand. She accepted the assistance gratefully; she was still a bit unsteady in her new shoes, though she felt much better than she did when she first tried them on.

There was an awning overhead that extended into the road, sheltering them from the light sprinkling of rain that had started to fall. Raven could hear thunder in the distance.

"Good evening," the man said gently, to which Raven murmured a reply. She wasn't sure what she said because she couldn't pull her focus from Beast Boy. He looked so handsome in his suit. Raven tried to contain the blush she felt growing on her cheeks. _Did I really just think that?_

Beast Boy offered his arm, which she once again took, and led her through the doors to the elevator. They rode up in companionable silence as Raven ruminated on these thoughts.

_The fact I think he looks good in a suit doesn't mean anything,_ she reassured herself. _I mean, he does __look good in the suit. It would be hard not to notice that. And he is kinda cute—it's simply a fact._

These thoughts didn't do anything to stop the shiver that ran down her spine when the doors opened and Beast Boy put his hand on her back to guide her forward. They didn't have to introduce themselves as they approached the entrance to the restaurant; the hostess and maitre d' saw them coming and walked forward immediately to greet them.

Beast Boy made casual conversation and talked about a few details of the catering job as they were led to a private table in the back of the restaurant. Raven didn't listen to what they were saying. She watched Beast Boy talk and laugh and smile with the maitre d'. It seemed so easy and so effortless for him. He was a naturally gifted conversationalist, which Raven secretly admired about him. He was always the life of a conversation, and she was proud of that.

After they were seated they were descended upon by a barrage of wait staff. Before she knew what was happening, her napkin was on her lap and a server had her water glass in hand as he inquired whether she wanted flat water or San Pellegrino. She looked to Beast Boy for help.

"We'll both take San Pellegrino with a bottle of your house Chardonnay, please." Raven considered him. _For someone who spends so much time in clubs, he certainly knows how to play the part of a gentleman_, she thought wryly.

"So," Beast Boy began after they were sipping on two glasses of wine, "what do you think?"

"It's nice," she said softly. "Though I suppose all that really matters is the food."

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied with a smile. He looked at her intensely with warm, thoughtful eyes. The restaurant was dimly lit with candlelight, giving everything a soft, hazy glow.

"So why did you change your mind about the food?" She asked. "Before you were determined to make them serve what you wanted. Today it seems like you just handed over the reigns."

Beast Boy laughed. "Robin changed my mind for me."

"He yelled at you about yesterday?"

"No, that's the weird thing! He didn't say a word about that. He just told me this morning that I had to pick a caterer by tonight and walked off. So, here we are," he said, gesturing around the restaurant.

"Hmm," Raven sighed as she took another sip of her white wine. "This is very good." She didn't drink wine often (she was technically underage) but when she did she usually preferred red.

"It should be. Dinner tonight is on them, but that wine would be expensive otherwise." He took a drink from his own glass as he studied her. Raven shifted shyly under his gaze. "You really do look pretty tonight, Rae."

Once again, Raven tried to keep her cheeks from turning pink. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I had some help from Starfire.

She jumped when he let out a snort. "That must have been fun."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we had a great time at the mall." Raven paused for a moment, for once deciding to make an effort at conversation. "Starfire frightens me. She shops like she's competing for a prize."

"I can imagine," Beast Boy said lightly. "How long were you there."

"Too long," she quickly answered. "I lost count of how many dresses I tried on."

"Well, it worked out okay. That one looks perfect on you." Raven wished he would stop complementing her. She wasn't used to it and it took her off guard.

Soon enough, a plate of bruschetta arrived for each of them and they began to eat. Raven brought the bread to her mouth and took a bite. She closed her eyes.

"This is the best bread I've ever had," Beast Boy said from across the table, reflecting her sentiments exactly.

"It's good," Raven acknowledged.

That pattern continued for the rest of the night. The waiters brought course after course of incredible food that made Raven's mouth water just thinking about it. Between eating, the two talked and laughed (though that was mostly Beast Boy) and enjoyed themselves immensely.

They were halfway through their pasta when Beast Boy brought up the gala.

"So I guess we're done with the food now. Cyborg ordered some kind of skewered meat to be passed around as appetizers and he's working on the tour thing."

_Ugh_. Raven had forgotten about that. "The only advantage to that ridiculous idea is that the tower might actually be clean for once."

"Nope! You forgot watching Cyborg having to clean the whole tower like some kind of housewife," Beast Boy said with a gleam of laughter in his eyes.

Raven gave him a weak look of disdain, but she was smiling underneath. "Some friend you are. And I doubt Cyborg will be willing to clean your hovel of a room."

"Yeah, I've gotta do that this week," he sighed. "Bet he doesn't have to clean yours either. There's never a book out of place."

"You shouldn't be spending enough time in my room to know," she growled. "Besides, my room will not be a stop on your little tour."

"Why not?" he complained. "Everyone else's is."

"Do I have to remind you what happened the first time you came into my room unbidden?" She raised a brow at him.

"No, I remember. Your room is like a magical death trap."

"Only for unwanted visitors," she smirked.

Servers graced the table with dishes of salad, more pasta, and risotto before the waiter finally came with coffee and dessert.

"I must say, Beast Boy," Raven began as she dug into her cannoli, "you made a good choice in restaurants."

"Thank you!" he beamed. Without paying much attention, he took a sloppy forkful of cream that ended up on the front of his shirt. Raven couldn't help it: she started to laugh at his clumsiness.

"Stop laughing! It's not very nice," he scolded her as he dipped his napkin into his water and started to wipe at his shirt. That only made Raven laugh harder.

"What?"

"Remind me again when you debuted from the Jump City cotillion?" she said, failing at keeping a straight face.

"That's right, you didn't get an invitation," he said sarcastically. His face warmed. "It's nice to see you laughing," he said softly.

Raven wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "Well, I don't do it often," she sputtered.

"I know," he replied, "though you seem to be doing it more lately." He gave her a huge smile. "I must be rubbing off on you."

She rolled her eyes, but didn't reply.

"I've got to say, when Robin sent me to look after you, I didn't have such high hopes but..." Raven didn't hear the rest of what he said. She was too focused on the first part.

"What did you say?" she half-whispered.

"That I didn't think you'd warm up so quickly."

"No, about Robin."

Beast Boy paled a bit. "Oh, um, you know Robin, always checking up on his team."

"He sent you to spy on me, didn't he?" Raven's head swam. _All this time_, she thought. _The constant badgering, the blackmail in order to spend more time with me, partnering him with me on the mission to find Plasmus... it was all so that Robin could keep an eye on me. Because he doesn't trust me. _To say that Raven was mad was an understatement.

"I thought you were being nice to me. I thought you were my friend," Raven said through clenched teeth.

"Woah, Raven I—"

"Turns out you're only here to make sure I don't screw this precious gala up!" She was irate now. Her arms were shaking, and she felt tears threaten in her eyes. Logically speaking, she knew she was overreacting. She didn't care.

"Well screw you! I can take care of myself just fine!" She rose from the table quickly, leaving her unfinished dessert and a bewildered looking Beast Boy. Everyone in the restaurant turned to stare as she stormed out.

"Raven!" she heard him hiss after her. She didn't turn around.

"Have a nice evening," the hostess said uncertainly as she flew past her. Raven got into the elevator and pressed the button to close the door before Beast Boy could follow.

She bit her lip hard to keep from breaking down. Raven didn't know why she was so emotional. Maybe it was the stress of the week. _Or maybe it's the fact that I hate being lied to_, she thought bitterly.

When she walked outside, she noticed that the thunder she had heard earlier had turned into a full-blown rain storm. Raven shivered as she felt the temperature drop. She didn't care. She wasn't accepting a ride home from Beast Boy.

She could feel the valets' confusion as she walked down the sidewalk, out from under the awning. She was soaked in a matter of seconds. Now that the rain ran through her hair, down her face, and over her black dress, she didn't feel bad letting a few tears fall. She was dripping wet anyway. Her mind registered that her dress would probably be ruined, but she didn't give a shit.

"Raven!" She heard Beast Boy behind her. She saw him jogging down the street to catch up with her, so she turned and walked faster. She had forgotten about her ridiculous shoes. She stepped down wrong and stumbled forward. Before she hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around her.

"Hey," he said as he pulled her back to her feet. She smacked at his arm until he pulled it away. "Raven, what did I do? What's wrong?"

She stared at him incredulously. "What's wrong? You lied to me. I thought..." she trailed off, not wanting to let her emotions get the best of her. _Too late_, she thought as a street light cracked overhead. Beast Boy continued to stare at her, prompting her to continue. "I thought that you and I were... becoming friends. Good friends. I know I'm difficult to get along with. I know I can be a flat out bitch. But you didn't seem to care. I love our friends and I know they love me but they don't understand me. I thought that maybe you did. Or were starting to. Now I know the only reason you were spending time with me was to make sure I didn't fuck up your grand plans."

She watched as the hurt grew in his face with every word she said. Whatever she was expecting him to say, it wasn't what he said next.

"Raven..." he looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's not true, none of what you're accusing me of is. I swear. Yes, Robin told me to keep an eye on you, but I wanted to. I _volunteered_ to. Raven, I've been spending time with you because... I like you." She stared at him, confused. He stared back with intensity in his eyes. "I mean I _really_ like you."

Understanding hit Raven like a ton of bricks, knocking the air from her lungs. _How?_ her mind wondered. _How could he possibly..._

She didn't have time to think about it further. Beast Boy advanced, putting his face inches from hers. He spoke with an intensity that sent shivers through her. "Raven, I don't know how I've lived with you for five years and not noticed it, but you are the most incredible person I've ever met."

"Oh," she squeaked. She didn't have time for more before his lips were on hers.

At first, Raven was too shocked to react. Her eyes fluttered shut as his lips pressed against hers. She didn't know how it had happened, but she realized he had one arm on her back, another in her hair. With even more surprise, she found her arms weaving up around his neck.

Raven felt alive. Her pulse was racing, her hands were shaking, and her body felt on fire. Heat rushed through her as Beast Boy's lips moved against hers. It felt so _good_. So _right_.

As Beast Boy pulled away, Raven looked up into his eyes with wonder. She saw all of the street lights on the block shatter, glass raining onto the wet pavement. Raven looked back at Beast Boy, realization dawning on her. She was standing on the sidewalk in downtown Jump City, kissing Beast Boy in the pouring rain.

Her head swam. _What am I doing?_ she thought hazily. She didn't know what was happening, but she had a panicky feeling in her stomach, like she was doing something wrong.

"Beast Boy," she whispered, backing away.

"Raven?" he asked, confusion and hurt sweeping over him.

"I'm so sorry, I just can't. I can't." She shook her head, trying to clear the barrage of emotions pouring through her. She felt her chest constrict, making it difficult to breathe. The tears started again.

She turned towards the nearest wall. She needed to get out of here.

"Raven!" Beast Boy called after her when he realized what she was doing.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, stepping through the portal she had created.

* * *

The portal dumped Raven back into her room. She didn't have the energy to do anything but crawl into her bed, soaking wet, and wrap her arms around a pillow. She sobbed.

She didn't have the will to figure out why she felt the way she did. She just cried and cried until she ran out of tears. She stared numbly out of the window by her bed. She saw the little droplets of rain clinging to the glass, the glowing lights of Jump City beyond it.

She didn't know why she ran. She couldn't even begin to process what had happened with Beast Boy. He had _kissed_ her. She vaguely realized it was her first kiss.

How could Beast Boy drop this on her? How could he even like her? She was unlikable; it was a fact. _And what does this mean? What does he expect of me?_ Most of all, she was scared. The fear inside her wrapped around her chest and her lungs. Raven's head screamed questions at her, none of which she could answer. All she could do was listen to the rain. She listened to the little drops of rain pelt the window and thought of a lullaby her mother used to sing her when she begged her for it.

_I love the sound of the music they make_

_When little raindrops are tapping away_

_Like a piano on my window pane_

_Playing a lullaby_

She sang it over and over in her head until she fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Hi guys! So sorry I didn't update this sooner! My boyfriend and I were hit by a drunk driver this past weekend so I've been in the hospital all week without my laptop. We're both fine and I'm now super excited to be home! Moral of the story: don't drink and drive people! Also, hospitals suck.

Anyway, on with the show! Thank you so much to my new followers and those who reviewed! Love you all!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

Chapter 17

_She was in the Mayor's office. She recognized the large, oak double doors that led to the sea of desks inside. It was dark outside; the lights were off, moonlight the only thing illuminating her path. Her hand reached down to insert the key into the lock. As she turned it, Raven realized it wasn't her hand. This hand had long, well-manicured red nails at the end of slender, tan fingers. Definitely not Raven's._

_The office space was as dark as the hallway was. Raven found herself walking towards a desk in the far right corner of the room, near a set of long, narrow windows. She caught a glimpse of her reflection, or, more accurately, Celeste Bowman's reflection, in one of them._

_It startled Raven. She wasn't in her own body. She moved like something possessed her, and she was only along for the ride._

_She opened the top desk drawer with a key and took out a cellphone, dropping it into her black leather purse. Raven saw a photo framed on the desk of Celeste and some blonde man with their arms around each other. She deduced it must have been her boyfriend._

_She turned to leave when she noticed a light coming from under the other set of doors that lead to the Mayor's personal office. Celeste slowly changed directions, creeping towards the office to undoubtedly figure out what she was doing here so late. As she got closer, she heard voices coming from the other side of the door._

_"We've only got five days left, James," she heard the Mayor hiss._

_"I know, I know. I'm working on a plan right now."_

_"Just remember that she's a demon. This isn't like one of your usual jobs. You have to be careful or this could all collapse around us." _A demon_, Raven thought. _She's a demon_. They were talking about her._

_"I know!" He sounded irritated. "What do you expect from me when you only give me two weeks?"_

_"You know why this has to be done by then!" She paused for a moment. "We have five days until the gala. We have seven days before Trigon rises."_

_Raven's mind registered shock. How did they know about Trigon? And why did everyone think he was rising? Raven thought that scare was behind her; now she wasn't so sure again. Celeste's body leaned in closer._

_"Are you sure that it's going to happen?"_

_"Positive. I have sources inside the Church of Blood. We have to kill the girl within the week or it's over for all of us. The gala is the best chance we have."_

Kill the girl..._ The words repeated over and over in Raven's mind. Celeste seemed just as horrified. Raven could feel her heart beat faster and her body stiffen. She started to slowly back away from the door, aware that she was hearing something she shouldn't be._

_She took another step back, but suddenly a hand was over her face. It was holding some kind of white cloth over her mouth and nose. Raven felt adrenaline shoot through her, but before she could scream, she felt blackness rise up as she lost her grip on consciousness._

For the third time this week, Raven awoke with a start after her nightmare. She sat upright in bed, trying to control her breathing. Just like the last two, this one had felt so vivid and so real. Unlike the last two, it didn't make her frightened and it didn't make her upset. This time, it made her mad.

She was sick of this. Now that the adrenaline had subsided, she realized it was already light outside. Once again, she had lost out on restful sleep because of these ridiculous nightmares. She was so frustrated that she chucked a pillow across the room. She collapsed back down onto her bed, rubbing her temples.

This dream bothered her more than the others. Why had she been in Celeste's body? And why would the Mayor, a supposed ally of theirs, be plotting to kill her?

She had a sinking feeling in her stomach that what she had seen had actually happened.

It wouldn't be the first time that she had had prophetic dreams. It was her empathy that sometimes caused them. Raven bit her lip, unsure about what to do.

_Well_, she finally decided, _there's only one way to find out._

She got out of bed and realized she was still in her now dry dress and shoes from the night before. Raven's cheeks burned when she remembered what had happened. _Crap_. She had forgotten about that. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and saw that it was nine. With any luck, Beast Boy wouldn't be up yet, and she could put off that awkward encounter for a little while longer.

She changed into a fresh leotard, fastened her cloak around her shoulders, and headed off to the common room to call Celeste.

* * *

She didn't answer her phone. Raven had looked up her work phone, as she should be in the office by now, and her cell, which she also didn't answer. Raven sat at the main control station, tapping her fingers against the desk. She had a bad feeling about this.

She looked up the generic number for the Mayor's office, and gave that a try.

"Mayor Forbes' office, how may I help you?"

"I'm looking for Celeste Bowman. Is she in today?" Raven didn't hold out much hope.

"I'm afraid not. She'll be out for the rest of the week. Can I take a message?"

"No," Raven answered with a sigh. "Do you have any idea why she's gone?"

"No, actually. Mayor Forbes just told me this morning she would be out. I'm sorry for any inconvenience."

"Thank you for your help," Raven replied before ending the call. Now she really had a bad feeling about this.

She heard the common room doors swish open and turned to find Robin coming down for breakfast.

"Robin," she began immediately, "has Celeste called you yet this morning?" She knew for a fact that Celeste had called every morning, work day or not, to check in with them.

"Nope. Haven't heard anything." Raven studied him as he moved quickly to prepare his breakfast. His shoulders slumped and his face looked tired. He had undoubtedly been working 24/7 to find more information on Slade. It made Raven purse her lips in frustration, but it was an issue for another day.

"I called her this morning on her work and her cell phone, but she didn't answer either. Then I called the Mayor's office, and they told me that she was out for the rest of the week. As in, until the gala this Friday." She stared at him expectantly.

"Hmm," was all he said in reply, too preoccupied with his Cheerios.

"You don't think that's strange?"

"I think we have more important things to worry about," he said harshly.

Raven narrowed her eyes. "And by more important things you mean Slade?" she asked, unyielding.

This time, he looked up at her. "Yes, of course I mean Slade. And right now I feel like I'm the only one trying to do anything about it."

Raven clenched her jaw, but didn't argue further. It was pointless when he got like this. She rose from the chair and headed towards the door, determined to find the answers she needed on her own.

As she approached the top of the stairs, the doors slid open again. It was Beast Boy, of course.

Raven froze. They both stared at each other, faces growing red. Raven didn't know what to say, if anything. She would have liked to have just walked out, but he was standing in the doorway.

"Um, excuse me," she mumbled, keeping her eyes down. He moved aside, his eyes downcast as well, and she hastily walked past him.

As soon as the doors slid shut behind her, she let out a sigh of relief. To say that was awkward was an understatement.

Raven didn't know how she felt. There were so many emotions running through her that she couldn't single one out. Anger that he had done what he had, fear of the unknown, and a nervous swell of excitement all clashed in her gut.

She just couldn't deal with him right now. Not with everything else that was going on. Raven took a cleansing breath, pushing down her emotions so that she could get to work.

The next stop she made was to the Titan's mainframe. She was determined to solve the mystery of Celeste's disappearance. Her personal life would have to wait.

* * *

_6407, Apartment B_. Raven looked at the paper one more time to confirm she was in the right place. Celeste's apartment, the address to which she had found in the mainframe, was in a nice part of town a few blocks away from town hall. She brought her hand up to the door, giving a firm knock.

She held out hope when she heard footsteps from inside, but it faded when the door opened. A man stood there instead of the woman she had hoped for. It was she same blonde man in the picture she had seen on Celeste's desk. That already wasn't a good sign. Raven couldn't of dreamed a person she had never seen before, giving even more evidence that the dream had been real.

"Can I help you?" He asked after a second. Raven realized she was staring at him blankly.

"Sorry. I'm looking for Celeste Bowman."

"She's not home right now. She's actually out of town."

Raven sensed he was upset about the last part. "She is? Where is she? Did she tell you she was leaving?"

The man looked at her suspiciously. "You're Raven, from the Teen Titans, right?" She nodded. "Why do you want to know? Is something wrong?"

_Crap_. The last thing she needed was to involve him in this. "No, of course not. I just heard she was going to be out for the week and I needed to talk to her." Not technically a lie...

"Oh. Well honestly, I don't even know where she is. Her boss called this morning to tell me that she had to go on some emergency trip and that she wouldn't be back for a few days. It was weird, but she's in a weird line of work," he said with a shrug.

Raven sighed. That may not have been the answer she was hoping for, but it was the answer she was expecting. "Thank you. Can you tell her to call the Titans when she gets back?"

"Sure. I'll have her call. Goodbye," he said, closing the door as Raven turned to leave.

All signs were pointing to the fact that what she dreamed last night wasn't a nightmare. It had really happened to Celeste. It was all true.

That left Raven with a new crisis on her hands. She realized that the Mayor was truly trying to kill her. _Kill he_r. What the hell? Raven wondered as she clomped down the stairwell. Raven had liked Mayor Forbes. Now she thought she was a lunatic.

Then there was the other crisis. The one that every time it seemed like it had resolved itself, contradictory evidence emerged. Trigon. If the Mayor and her cohorts were trying to assassinate Raven, it was because they truly believed that her father would rise again, evidently using Raven as a tool to get there. The logic was reasonable other than the fact that Trigon couldn't rise again.

Raven was fed up. As she emerged into the sunlight of another morning in Jump City, she had made up her mind. She was going to do something she had avoided doing for her entire life. She was going to get the truth from the horse's mouth.

She was going to talk to Trigon.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: I've decided to break my story into parts. This chapter concludes Part 1, but before you roll your eyes, Parts 2 and 3 are going to be _much_ shorter. I can't believe we're already this far! I've had so much fun writing this thanks to all of you faithful readers! Please continue to read and review. I really appreciate it!

So, here it is, the end of Part 1. Part 2 will begin in a week or so. Until then!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 18**

It was as they had left it before that fateful day, the end of the world. The library stood all by itself, the buildings around it burned to ashes by Slade. It was restored only because Trigon himself destroyed it in his ascension; when Raven defeated him it was returned to normal like the rest of the world.

The entire area had been left completely untouched since then. It was in an old, run-down part of town that no one had the desire to build in. It was surrounded by chain link fences which Raven easily flew over.

Though she could of continued to levitate, Raven decided to use her legs and walk over the barren, ashy ground towards the building. She had a nervous energy coursing through her and she hoped walking would help work some of it out. It didn't help much. She still had a nauseous feeling in her stomach.

She paused in front of the imposing building. The mark of Scath still glared red above the entryway. Calming herself the best she could, she pulled on the rusty handles of the arching doors.

She had sat in her room all afternoon in a vain attempt to contact Trigon. It was funny how that worked. Trigon could torment Raven whenever he pleased, but the one time she wanted to talk to him, she couldn't make contact. She thought of this place, the seat of Trigon's power on Earth. If this didn't work, she didn't know what to do.

The cavernous library was eerie, filled with dust covered cases of books. There had to be thousands of them, rotting away untouched in this haunted sanctuary.

The last time she came, she had the same feeling in her chest, the same fears about her world's impending doom. Last time though, she thought it was absolute. This time she knew she would do everything in her power to stop her father's plans. If he had any at all. That hope still gleamed in the back of her mind, and while she wanted it to be true, she didn't have much faith.

She had also been marked with symbols of Trigon's power the last time she had entered, serving to guide her and open the passages to Trigon's alter. As this was not the case this time, she expected some difficulty finding her way down there.

To her dismay, as she moved towards the back of the library, the secret passageway lit up, the stone door moving back to reveal the path. Raven looked down at her arms. There the marks were, glowing their sickly bright red.

Raven sucked in a breath. _They're still here_, she thought with horror. _This is still happening_. Her head felt light and her legs went weak. She clutched a bookcase to keep herself upright.

She heaved shaking breaths and shook her head quickly, trying to rid herself of this nightmare. She chanted her mantra and transformed into her soul self, her looming black raven swooping through the doorway and down the spiraling stairs.

She flew quickly to escape her growing hysteria. _This can't be real, it can't be_, she thought pleadingly.

She arrived in the enormous cavern, moving up towards the palm of the hand and returning to her corporeal form. Still levitating, she drew her legs beneath her and assumed the lotus position.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," she repeated again and again, finding her spiritual center and focusing her energy on contacting her father. She didn't know how long it took, but it felt like hours before her skin started to sweat. The cavern felt hotter, and smoke tickled her nostrils.

She opened her eyes and found she was in a different place entirely. Rivers of lava flowed through a cave, the mark of Scath carved prominently on the wall across from her. Raven stood on a patch of rock that jutted into the burning sea below her.

"Daughter," a voice boomed around her. It was the unmistakably sinister voice of Trigon himself. "I am honored you join me."

"Trigon," she spat, directing her words towards the glowing mark on the wall. "What do you want with me?"

"What do I want with you?" he responded. "You are the one who came to me, dear daughter."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "Don't play games with me Trigon. The Church of Blood says you will rise again and I can feel your power growing. We both know you can't rise again. What are you trying to do?"

"Do we both know that?" He sounded amused. "Daughter, the prophecy of your birth was absolute. You may have defeated me once, but I _will_ take over your precious Earth, and you will help me."

Raven's heart pounded in her chest, but she tried to stand tall. "That's a lie," she ground out.

"Is it? I am all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful. You didn't think you had a chance of escaping me, did you?"

Raven swayed with her sudden lightness. Her head felt thick, her thoughts came slowly. Her heart clenched in fear. "What are you talking about?" she almost whispered. "You can't come back. You aren't powerful enough to come back."

"I cannot return as I did before, but there are other ways," he said devilishly. "In six days, the Church of Blood will lend me their strength. With it I will consume you." Raven's eyes widened. "Your body will be mine, your soul long destroyed. I will not destroy the world Raven, you will."

Raven thought she was going to be sick. How was this possible? _Lend me their strength_... Raven looked back up at the mark.

"They're going to kill themselves, aren't they? They're going to perform human sacrifice." Raven could feel her hands shake. "That's sick," she ground out.

He laughed. "Human life is insignificant. The entire Earth shall be mine! We will destroy it, daughter. Together we will end the world!"

Raven closed her eyes and shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"No!" she screamed, but all she could hear was Trigon's rumbling laughter. She continued to scream, but suddenly the laughter was gone.

She opened her eyes. She was back at the alter, alone in the ominous stone cavern.

Raven felt like she was going to faint. She flew from the room as quickly as she could, racing up through passageways and stairwells until she was in the library again. She hit the ground shakily, running towards the entrance. She threw the doors open, and stumbled outside, gasping for breath.

The sun blinded her and she fell to the ground, shaking from head to toe. She sat up and drew her knees to her chest, hugging them close as she heaved loud sobs.

Her life was a nightmare. She had hoped and hoped for years that it wouldn't happen, that Trigon wouldn't win, but fate proved her wrong. Raven thought of her friends. How could she put them through this again? She remembered her dream, the visions of their charred, mangled bodies and the sounds of their screams.

An overwhelming dizziness came over her, almost causing her to loose the contents of her stomach. She couldn't help it. She couldn't control herself. The truth was that she couldn't control anything about this. She was going to destroy the world. Again.

_No wonder the Mayor is trying to kill me_, Raven thought. Her plan didn't seem so crazy now. Actually, it seemed very, very logical.

Raven sucked in a breath as an idea occurred to her. It glimmered in its possibility, a ray of hope in the darkness of her mind. Raven couldn't stand to hurt her friends again. She couldn't bear to obliterate the world she had sworn to protect. She couldn't let her father win again.

Raven stood from the cool stone steps of the library. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

The sun was still high over Jump City as Raven climbed the steps to City Hall. She was calm and confident in her stature, a result of her numb state of mind. She clenched her jaw and hardened her gaze. She had no more tears left to cry.

She used her powers to open the doors in front of her. The building was bustling with people on a weekday and most had the good sense to scramble out of her way. Raven never slowed her pace as she moved down the correct hallways. Her dark energy once again threw open the double doors of the Mayor's office.

Everyone inside looked up from what they were doing. Apparently, she had made quite an entrance. Raven paid them no attention as she made her way straight towards the Mayor's personal office.

"Miss, Mayor Forbes is on an important call right now, if you could just wait..." Raven could hear the timid voice of a young receptionist trailing behind her, but she thoroughly ignored it. She opened the last doorway between her and the Mayor and stepped inside.

"Yes, it's like I said, I think we need to..." the Mayor trailed off as she looked up from where she was seated at her desk. At first, her lips turned up in a pleasant smile. Then, as she caught Raven's harsh, imposing expression, her smile faded into a look of seriousness.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll have to call you back." She pressed a button on her phone console, ending the speaker call before whoever she was talking to had a chance to respond.

"Ma'am, I tried to—"

"It's quite alright, Sarah," she said smoothly, eyes never leaving Raven's. "Please, Raven, come in."

Raven moved forward to stand between the two chairs in front of the desk. She arranged her stance to convey that she was not taking a seat. As soon as she heard the doors close behind her, the Mayor began to speak.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" The Mayor's voice was cautious, her eyes calculating.

Raven stared her down for a few moments. "As the Mayor, I assume you know the story of my birth. Of the prophecy that was fulfilled, and how I overcame my father." The Mayor nodded. Raven had given the previous head of the city a brief explanation of what had happened. She was sure it had been passed down to Mayor Forbes.

"Yes," was all the woman replied.

Raven once again searched the Mayor's face. She looked stiff, but Raven had to give her credit: she was a tough woman to read.

"I heard a rumor," she continued slowly, "that you have ties to the Church of Blood."

The woman's cool facade faltered. Raven's lip turned up in the corner.

"What do you want?" Mayor Forbes asked shakily. She was frightened. Good.

"I know about your plot to kill me. Very impressive," Raven said mockingly. "I understand that you've put all of this work into my birthday gala because that's when you intend to assassinate me."

The color was draining from the Mayor's face. She was clearly terrified that Raven would want to take revenge, but she stood her ground. "So you've come to put a stop to my plans. What are you going to do? Kill me?" she asked defiantly.

Raven straightened her posture and looked down stonily at the Mayor. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. "No," she began, "I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to help you kill me."


	19. Chapter 19

AN: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter. You all are so kind and I appreciate all of you so much! As promised, the beginning of Part 2. Enjoy!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

_**Part 2**_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

Raven's eyes opened slowly, blinking in the hazy morning light that streamed through her window. A familiar smell tickled her nose; someone was making waffles. Raven loved mornings when she woke up late to the smell of breakfast floating through the tower, where the sun shone through the windows and everyone had a calm, lazy aura.

This would be one of those mornings if it weren't marred by the unsettling thought that it was one of her last.

Raven rolled onto her back as the full impact of yesterday's events hit her. Now, in the calm of the morning after, she wondered if her plan was really a good idea.

Robin had once told her she was one of the most hopeful people he knew. Raven had acknowledged it was true: throughout the entire disaster of her fathers ascension to Earth, she kept fighting and hoping and trying to find a way to defeat her father. She knew now what a mistake that was. The fact she had defeated him was a miracle, and miracles don't happen that often.

This time, she was done playing around. She was done taking chances when the fate of the world and the safety of her friends hung in the balance. There was only one way Raven knew of that would be sure to stop Trigon, and that was the destruction of his portal.

When she told the Mayor that she would go along with her plans, the woman didn't believe her.

"What?" she whispered after Raven made her declaration.

"You're planning on killing me, I'm planning on letting you," Raven said with impatience.

"Why would you do that?" the Mayor asked skeptically. She watched Raven carefully, clearly trying to determine her motives.

"We both know that Trigon will rise in six days," Raven began. "The first time Trigon was supposed to come, I thought I could stop him. I'm not so naive now."

"So you're telling me you want to sacrifice yourself for the greater good."

"Yes. I'm a hero, I swore to protect this city, the world, and my friends. They shouldn't have to go through this again. No one should." Raven stopped speaking and waited for the Mayor's response.

She narrowed her eyes at her. "Though your logic seems to be in line with the rest of ours, I'm having a hard time believing you."

Raven sighed. "I would too. It's not everyday someone walks willingly into their own assassination. But I promise you, I'm telling you the truth. I can't do this again. If Trigon rises I'll die anyway. At least your way I'll be the only one."

That seemed to satisfy her. Raven spent another two hours in the office going over details. They were determined to do it on the night of the gala so that the shooter will be able to get away without being noticed and the press would think it was some assatination attempt and not ask too many questions. Raven's murder would go unsolved.

There was one flaw to the plan that Raven was quick to point out: her healing abilities. She was normally very grateful for them, but in this situation it made her difficult to kill. Once she passed out, her healing would be involuntary.

She quickly solved her own problem though with the recollection of a spell Malchior had taught her. She normally avoided anything from his teachings, but for this she would make an exception. The spell would essentially put a block on her powers. It would only last around 24 hours, but it would be enough to inhibit her healing. The Mayor intended to have someone shoot her there, which would work just fine with the application of Raven's spell.

Raven couldn't believe she was thinking about all of this so rationally. She stared blankly at her ceiling as she went over all of the details again in her mind. She was planning her own murder. _How twisted is that?_ she thought before hauling herself out of bed.

She had a nervous feeling in her chest. How was she supposed to walk into the common room and talk to her friends like nothing was wrong? How was she supposed to act normally when she knew these would be the last four days they had together? Raven felt tears threaten to overflow when she thought of that. She shook her head to clear it. She couldn't think about that right now. She just couldn't.

Raven never had to worry about pretending to be alright. A flash of red and the wail of the alarm pulled her from her thoughts.

_Great_, she thought sarcastically. _Apparently the villains didn't get the memo that we're a little busy this week._ She fastened her cape around her shoulders, pulled the hood over her head, and flew towards the common room.

* * *

Starfire did not understand it, but there was something about Red X that got under Robin's skin almost as much as Slade did. She watched him nervously as she flew above his roaring motorcycle, expertly maneuvering through the streets of Jump City towards the Museum of Natural History. Robin had told them that if they were going to install an exhibit of precious gemstones, they needed a better security system. Apparently, they did not listen.

The team arrived at the columned entrance in record time. This museum happened to be a frequent target, so they knew the way there well. Starfire walked up beside Robin as he checked the latest report from inside. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Much to his credit, he looked up and returned her smile.

"Thanks Star," he said softly. He didn't have to specify for what. Starfire knew how they could calm each other like few others could.

"Alright team, it looks like X is still inside. Raven and Starfire come with me through the front, Cyborg and Beast Boy go through the back. Titans, Go!"

Starfire sprang into action at his command, taking to the air and shoving the doors open with no trepidation.

She was about to call back to Robin and ask where in the museum they were going when she caught sight of a huge banner in the lobby proclaiming that the gemstones were on the third floor. She swooped down to pick up Robin, carrying him up to the third floor balcony as Raven followed behind.

They were coming to a set of closed doors at the end of the hallway with a sign above that indicated they were in the right place. Black energy covered them as Raven telekinetically threw them open.

Starfire saw Red X immediately. He clutched a black bag with one hand and in the other had a sparkling ruby necklace. He stuffed it into the bag as he turned to face them.

"You guys got here pretty quick. Must be eager to see me," he said tauntingly.

"Red X," Robin said with a grin. "Looks like you've been caught red-handed."

"Hold on there, Robin. You haven't caught me yet." With that he made his move, darting towards the back of the exhibit.

"Titans, go!" Robin called. Not that Starfire needed the cue. Red X may be fast, but Starfire flew faster. She was soon above him, raining down starbolts which he jumped to avoid. Before she knew what was happening, he disappeared. She looked left and right for him.

"Looking for me?" his voice sounded from behind her. She turned to find him standing on top of a case, but was too late to avoid his attack. He fired two expanding, sticky, restraining X's at her, knocking her to the floor and pinning her there.

She thrashed against her restraints, but even her Tamaranian strength had difficulty breaking them. As she struggled she watched Red X fight with the rest of her team.

Raven was wrapped in red within minutes; X used multiple restraints to incapacitate her. Robin's staff clashed with two metal X's in the villains hands. Just when it seemed as if Red X was getting the upper hand, a stream of blue crashed into his side. Cyborg had arrived.

Though the girls were still struggling to free themselves, it was now three against one. Not good odds for Red X, though Starfire did not feel too bad for him.

She returned her full attention to the task of freeing herself, using beams from her eyes to cut through the elastic red substance. It took awhile, but it worked. She soared up in the air, ready to help however she could.

Red X had moved closer to the door in that time, leaving a sparking Cyborg in his wake. Robin had positioned himself between X and the door, a smart move. Starfire flew quietly behind him as she saw Beast Boy in tiger form creeping up from the side.

"Give it up X," she heard Robin say from below. "There's nowhere to run."

"Maybe not right now," the thief replied, "but something tells me you're about to move."

Before any of them knew what was happening, X's two metal weapons were flying to his right, headed straight for Beast Boy.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire screamed, but it was too late. The x-shaped blades sliced into the tiger's side, eliciting a howl that tore through the museum.

* * *

There were no words to describe the jolt of fear that coursed through Raven when she heard Starfire's scream. Aside from the fact Starfire was screaming anything, it was _his_ name.

Beast Boy.

Raven's mind didn't have time to process much. It went into overdrive, focused solely on the task of freeing herself and finding Beast Boy.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she shouted, forming an explosion of black energy to cut through Red X's bonds. She flew up into the air, desperately scanning the exhibit to find her teammates.

When she caught sight of him she almost fell out of the air. He was in his human form, blood oozing from his side as he lay groaning on the floor, a pained expression spread across his face. The others were running towards him as Red X headed towards the door.

"Robin, Cyborg, go get X!" she shouted as she flew towards Beast Boy as fast as she could. They seemed conflicted, but trusted in Raven's healing abilities and turned to corner Red X.

Raven collapsed roughly on the ground, not caring that the carpet burned her knees. Her hands were already glowing and she was crouched over Beast Boy's side.

"Hey," she said softly. "Come on Beast Boy, keep your eyes open. I'm here, you're going to be okay." Starfire watched her nervously.

"Raven?" he asked weakly. He smiled faintly. "'Course I'm gonna be okay. You're here."

Raven returned his smile, glad he was still talking to her. "Beast Boy, what happened?"

He grimaced again as another wave of pain hit. Raven worked faster. "Red X threw those blades of his at me out of nowhere. They nicked me in the side-oh," he groaned as Raven's magic set in.

"I'd say this is more than a nick, but whatever it is, he's going to pay for it," Raven said softly but intensely. She had just finished closing the tears in his organs and focused on sealing the skin.

"Beast Boy, I'm going to have to put you under. It'll help you heal faster." As much as she hated to do it, she knew it would do him the most good.

She finished not ten seconds later, leaving the unconscious Beast Boy with a jagged, raw scar. She would have to fix that later; right now she had something else to attend to.

Across the room, Cyborg and Robin were still grappling with Red X. _Time to put a stop to this,_ Raven thought as she rose slowly. After all of the time she spent suppressing her emotions, letting one out felt good. And Rage was more than ready for it.

"X." Her voice echoed throughout the room, an ominous warning of what was to come.

All three of them turned to stare at her. Before the villain knew what hit him, he was completely encased in black a flick of her wrist she drew him towards her and set him hovering before her.

"Someone's in a bad mood," he taunted. Raven tightened the energy bonds in response, pushing the air from his lungs. He gasped.

"Let's get one thing clear. No one threatens my family." She paused to let her words sink in. "Here's what's going to happen. You will leave Jump City and I will never see you again."

"Or what?" He squeaked with what little breath he could take.

Raven smiled coldly at him. She decided he needed a physical explanation instead of a verbal.

She thrust her hand up, slamming Red X's body into the ceiling. His pained grunt gave her more enjoyment than it should have. Now she let go of his body, letting him fall all the way from the forty foot ceiling back to the ground. She heard her teammates gasp before she caught him in her powers again right before he hit the floor.

Next his body went flying into a wall. Raven felt slightly guilty when she though she heard something snap. But only slightly. The image of Beast Boy's bloody side still glared in her mind.

Finally she brought him before her. "Goodbye X. I'd say it's been fun, but it hasn't." She released him and he collapsed to the floor. His hand instantly shot to his belt, pressing the red x there and disappearing from the room. Right before he left Raven thought she heard him say something that rhymed with "glitch," but she couldn't be sure. It only made her smirk grow larger.

"Uh, Raven?" she heard from behind her. Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin all stared at her with mixed expressions of joy, fear, and awe. She pulled her hood up as she reined herself back in. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not." She walked past them back towards her sleeping teammate. "Let's go, Beast Boy needs help."

Starfire picked him up with ease and moved silently back to the T-Car. The only one who spoke was Cyborg.

"Well alright then."


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Hi. First, let me apologize that this is so inexcusably late. And short. And not very good. I'd like to give you a legitimate excuse like "I have a paper to write" or "I'm out of town," but the truth is I've had absolutely nothing to do this week. I've sat down to write and edit this twenty times and have spent more time staring at the blank page than actually writing. A few months ago I was hit with a bout of depression. Bad depression. I've lost my ability to feel most emotions or care about much so it's really difficult for me to conceptualize emotions in the characters. Every word has to be forced from my brain onto the paper in a long, laborious process. So writing this chapter, which was almost all emotions, was like pulling teeth. The reason I'm telling you this is so you know that I really am trying, I promise. And I swear that no matter what, this story will be finished. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

You people that reviewed are wonderful, beautiful human beings. Much love to you all, especially if you're actually reading all of this author's note.

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Raven drummed her fingers on the cool metal railing, keeping in time with the beeping of the heart monitor. It had already been three hours since they had returned to the tower and deposited Beast Boy in the medical bay. Raven was getting impatient.

After she finished healing him, all that was left of his injury was a faint red line stretching across his side. Though he was completely healthy now, he would still be out for a while. While the rest of the team was satisfied with his condition and went to work on tracking Red X, Raven opted to stay and keep an eye on Beast Boy. _Because he shouldn't be left alone and I'm the one with the healing abilities_, she justified.

In truth, more than anything she wanted to stay by his side. She wanted to be near him before he woke up and their entire relationship changed.

She looked down at his calm, sleeping form from her spot next to his hospital bed. His hair was ruffled in a cute, handsome way and the afternoon sun cast shadows on his face. He wore a peaceful expression that made Raven smile. Now, when he was sleeping, Raven could sit beside him and enjoy his presence. It was strange; Beast Boy had this calming effect on her. Like his aura washed away all of the negativity in hers. As soon as he woke up though, everything would change.

Why did he have to kiss her that night? She thought she was finally starting to understand him, but evidently she was wrong. She never saw it coming. She just didn't understand how someone like Beast Boy could like someone like her.

_And where the hell did it come from?_ she wondered as she rubbed her temples. She had always been the dark, moody, reclusive member of the team and Beast Boy had been her opposite: he was energetic, outgoing, awkward, and often irritating. But she realized that that wasn't him anymore. She hadn't spent enough time with him over the past year to notice, but he had grown. Physically and emotionally.

The boy laying on the bed before her was still energetic and still outgoing, but had developed a sense of confidence, strength, and maturity Raven admired. Though she had only noticed the change of character a few days ago, she quickly grew used to it.

A barrage of images floated through her mind. Beast Boy kissing her, Beast Boy making her laugh, Beast Boy annoying the hell out of her in that lovable way of his. And today, when Raven caught sight of his bloodied body, the fear that coursed through her at the thought of losing him.

The feelings they evoked were too much. At first she thought she would feel that way if any of her friends were in that situation, but when she pictured Robin or Cyborg she just didn't get the same deep, penetrating emotions she did when she thought of Beast Boy. _And what does that mean? That I like him?_ Raven thought sarcastically. She didn't think she did. They were friends. Perhaps becoming best friends. That was the logic behind her irrational emotions.

Besides, she was going to be... _gone_ in four days. She couldn't let Beast Boy get any closer to her. It would just make it more difficult on both of them when the time came.

She made her resolution right then: she would tell Beast Boy there was nothing romantic between them, and she would tell him now.

It was at that moment that Beast Boy chose to come to, like he had some kind of ESP that told him Raven was ready to talk. His heart rate picked up as his eyes opened slowly. He looked confused for a moment before he got his bearings and realized where he was. His attention immediately went to his side, which he found was in good shape. He smiled.

Raven struggled to rearrange her features into a stoic expression.

"Hey," Beast Boy said quietly. He seemed just as hesitant as she was.

"Hey." They stared at various spots around the room in an attempt to avoid eye contact in the heavy, awkward silence that followed.

"Sooo, I'm guessing it was you who fixed this?" he asked eventually, gesturing to his side.

"Yes. It will probably leave a faint scar, but other than that you're fine." She spoke without the strength her voice usually carried.

"So where are the others?"

"Tracking X. I said I'd watch you." More silence. Raven gathered her confidence and relaxed her mind.

"Beast Boy—"

"Raven—"

They both spoke at once and stopped immediately when they heard the other. Raven closed her mouth. If Beast Boy wanted to talk, by all means, he could go for it.

"Raven," he began again after a few seconds, "we need to talk about what happened the other night." Raven simply nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"I just wanted to say, I'm, um... really sorry about that. I don't know what I was thinking. Not that you're not great and all," he rushed to clarify, "but you don't like me that way. I get it. I don't know why I thought otherwise." He looked resigned, like her rejection was just something to be expected.

Logically, she should have felt relieved. She was all ready to let him down, and here he did the work for her. Instead she felt disappointment. Raven didn't have any thoughts or any words. She was too focused on why the hell she was feeling disappointment at this.

"Raven?" he asked. She realized she had been silent a long time.

"It's okay," she managed at a low volume. Though she tried her hardest to sound unaffected, she wasn't very successful. He looked at her with confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Unfortunately, she had nothing insightful to say in return. He continued to study her face as her lips hung open with unspoken words and her cheeks flushed with color.

"Wait," he breathed, "did you actually... like that kiss?" He stared at her incredulously.

"No!" she supplied far too quickly. She wanted to hit her head against a wall. _Why am I acting like such an idiot?_

"You did," he realized with wide eyes. "Oh my God. I knew it!" He bolted into a sitting position, body squirming with excitement.

"No you didn't," Raven snapped in defense. "You just said you knew I didn't have—"

"Yeah, yeah, I was just saying what you wanted me to. What I _thought_ you wanted me to." He was grinning from ear to ear. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you came around."

"Beast Boy... you're... you're wrong," she stuttered. _Idiot, idiot, idiot..._

"Am I?" he asked softly, leaning forward to make his intentions clear.

_Not again_, Raven thought in a panic. Her brain told her this was not what she should be doing, that she was trying to stop Beast Boy's advances, not condone them. But for some exasperating, unknown reason here she was, not saying a word or moving a muscle as his face moved closer and closer. She was strangely mesmerized by his lips.

As his lips reached a mere inch from hers, she closed her eyes.

"Yo BB! You're finally up!" The two of them pulled away faster than Raven thought possible. She instantly drew her hood up to hide the pink she was sure covered her face.

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" he replied to Cyborg nervously, though he quickly recovered. He was always a lot better of a liar than Raven. Cyborg hadn't seen anything, as there was a curtain obscuring the view from the doors. Raven had never been so thankful for a piece of fabric.

"Sensors sold me. When were you going to call us Raven? He's been up for ten minutes!" Cyborg started unhooking Beast Boy without any idea that something was going on. He was always less observant than Raven.

"We were... talking," she replied flatly. She heard the med bay doors swish open again.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire called brightly. "You are awake!" She was followed by an impatient and preoccupied Robin whom she had clearly dragged from the evidence room.

"Yep! Thanks to Raven I'm healthy as a horse!" He gave her a smile that had private meaning, causing her blush to deepen.

"Good. We could use your help tracking X and Slade," Robin said while doing something on his communicator.

"No we do not!" Starfire exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at Robin. At this he looked up. "The Red X and Slade are not going to be found, as they are never found. The celebration of Raven's birth is in only four days. We must prepare!" she announced.

Robin opened his mouth like he was going to argue, then sighed in resignation. It was fascinating to Raven how he almost never argued with Starfire. He didn't extend thy courtesy to the rest of them.

"Sure. Lets all work on the party instead of looking for Slade." Starfire wouldn't pick up on it, but Raven could sense the weak sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, most wonderful! Come friend Cyborg, I require your assistance!" She grabbed a hold of his arm and practically dragged him from the room despite his protests.

Robin sighed. "I'll be in the evidence room. I'm glad you're okay Beast Boy," he added before taking his leave. That left the two of them alone again.

Raven stood briskly from her chair. "I'm going to my room," she said quietly. She had to get out of here before she did something stupid.

"Raven, wait!" Beast Boy called after her. She could hear him stumble out of bed to follow her.

She turned to tell him she couldn't talk right now, but found him right behind her. Before she knew what was happening, his mouth was on hers.

This kiss was brief but still sent heat rushing through her. He pulled away and smiled at her.

"See you later." Without another word, he walked past her and out the door.

Raven stood there dumbfounded, her mouth slightly ajar in shock. _What is it about Beast Boy?_

She didn't quite have an answer yet

* * *

The appearance of the evidence room was by design: Robin worked best under the dim lights, surrounded only by newspaper clippings and files. It helped him focus and helped him think.

However conducive to investigative work it was, it didn't help him much today. It had been two hours since he left the med bay, and he still didn't have a single lead.

Raven's words played through his mind. She said that Slade was only after Terra. It wasn't that Robin didn't believe her, it was just, well... _Okay, so I don't believe her_, he sighed. He trusted Raven with his life, but he acknowledged she was a reserved, secretive person. It just didn't make any sense that Slade would come out after years of hiding, go to all the trouble of luring the Titans away, and kidnap Raven just to figure out where Terra was. If he wanted to know that, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to figure out.

Robin ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He wasn't getting anywhere with his detective skill, which left him with two options. He could either wait for Slade to strike, or he could try and lure him out.

The first option wasn't really an option at all. Waiting for Slade to harm innocent people was not an acceptable course of action. The second option wasn't attractive either. Robin recalled the last time he tried to get closer to Slade, when he donned the mask of Red X. It took his friends a long time to get over that one, especially Starfire.

However hesitant he was to go that route again, he didn't have another choice. Slade had finally emerged after years in the wind; this time, he wasn't getting away.

Robin knew he would have to be careful. He wouldn't deceive anyone other than Slade. It would have to be a one time deal, and his friends would never have to know. They wouldn't be involved.

The only question was how. How was he going to lure Slade out without raising any red flags? The answer was to give him something he wanted. The problem was that Robin didn't have anything that fit that description. But he knew someone who might.

An idea formed in Robin's head that he thought just might work. With a grin on his face, he picked up his communicator and dialed the number for his contact at Jump City Labs.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Though Raven had said she was going to her room, when she passed the stairwell that led to the roof, she decided some fresh air wouldn't be a bad idea. God knew she needed it.

Raven paced along the edge of the roof, paying no attention to the beautiful weather as she let the wind play with her cloak. Her hands shook slightly as the adrenaline wore off, though her mind remained focused and alert.

_Beast Boy just... kissed me_, Raven thought. _Again_.

It had been quite a curve ball. There she was, ready to nip any idea of romance in the bud, and the second he opened his eyes her plans went out the window. Her forced conviction evaporated and her solemn determination vanished. Raven pursed her lips in frustration. It was like her mind was split.

Part of her (the part with the brains, it seemed) screamed at her to stop this now before it went any further. With every step she took, thought she considered, or conversation she had it reminded her of the unfortunate fate that was coming no matter what she did. Raven was a logical person-she wanted to listen to this voice of reason, but when she did it felt like a weight dragging her further into depression.

Then there was the other side, the one that brushed off the future that was coming for a brighter outlook. This one was hopeful, however futile that was, that she could be happy in whatever amount of time she had left. This side didn't accept Beast Boy's kiss; it reveled in it.

The realization hit Raven like a bullet, tearing through her emotions and leaving her head feeling light. She ceased her pacing and collapsed ungracefully to the ground, drawing her legs to her chest. She... _liked_ Beast Boy. She had feelings for Beast Boy. She thought of Beast Boy as more than a friend. She repeated the sentiment over and over as its veracity grew. Raven couldn't deny it any longer, and frankly she didn't want to.

Beast Boy had feelings for her, and she returned them.

Letting go of everything else for a moment, Raven sunk deeper and deeper into the feeling. She felt light and warm and safe. Like despite everything, despite the future and the past, the darkness within her and the blood in her veins, she was happy. It was a bubbly, shining feeling that brought her almost to tears.

Images surged through her head. Beast Boy making her laugh, Beast Boy holding her hand, Beast Boy kissing her and whispering in her ear that no matter what, it was going to be okay. Her heart clenched with a warm, aching feeling that told her she needed him, that she needed those images to be real. Being with him was easy, and it was right.

What wasn't easy was her situation. She could push it down and push it away for a while, but it always crept back. She felt it now, like dark tendrils smothering the light she had discovered. On Friday night she was going to die, and no amount of reassurance could make that okay.

The threat of tears she felt earlier finally solidified. Things in her life finally felt good. She felt happier than she ever had. And Beast Boy... now everything was going to be taken from her.

Raven didn't even care that she was downing in self-pity-she just allowed herself this one time to cry over how much her life sucked. There just wasn't a more eloquent way to put it.

She drew her legs tighter to her chest and buried her face in them. A few minutes later she was out of tears, anger replaced by a spreading numbness. It had to be this way. She knew that. It didn't make it suck any less, but it was the truth.

That left her with one question she knew she had to answer before she could face Beast Boy: would she let him in?

It seemed pointless to start something with him when it would last only three days. But the idea tempted her. In fact, it tempted her into an entirely new perspective. She only had three days left. Seventy two hours. 4,320 minutes. It wasn't much time at all, and here she was, sitting on the roof alone, wasting it.

She made her decision: she was going to make the most of her time left. For once in her life, she was going to be reckless and selfish.

Filled with resolve, she stood and wiped her eyes, the last traces of sadness gone. She didn't care what was happening in the future. Right now, in this moment, she was going to Beast Boy's room.

* * *

Beast Boy paced back as fourth in his room, cursing his hormones and his lack of self control.

_Why did I have to kiss her again?_ he mentally berated himself. _It went so well the first time._

The game plan was to take it slow, to gently coax Raven into some form of relationship. But if he knew anything about Raven, it was that she wouldn't come around easily. Sporadically kissing her probably wouldn't help, but he couldn't control himself around her. Every time he saw her he pictured himself holding her, touching her, making her laugh and staring into her eyes as they lit up with happiness. He wanted to be the one to do that for her.

He shook his head. What was it about Raven that turned him into such a sap?

None of it mattered now. _God, I'm such an idiot_. He would be surprised if she ever talked to him again. He knew how particular she was about her personal space; he was sure she was trilled about his recent violations of it.

A knock on the door distracted him from his self-depreciating tirade. Beast Boy narrowed his eyes. _Who... Cyborg_, he determined. He had promised him they'd hang this afternoon before the alarm went off.

He hopped over an overflowing laundry basket and stumbled his way to the door

"Look, I know I said..." he began before registering who was in front of him. It took his brain a few seconds to comprehend that this was not Cyborg. This was the last person he'd expect to find at his door. It was _her_. Raven.

As slow as his brain was to process that she was there, it came to a pretty quick conclusion about _why_ she was there. _Oh shit,_ he thought. _I'm about to get it._

He instantly stiffened, assuming a defensive posture to be ready for whatever choice words she had prepared for him. It had been a half an hour since they left the med bay. If it took her that long to come to him... _she's pissed_, he deduced.

All the while Raven just stood there, staring at him blankly. Beast Boy took a deep breath, mustering some courage.

"Hey," he said meekly.

Raven continued to stare at him. He was about to say something when he heard a soft, timid "hi" roll off her lips in return.

"So... did you need something?" _Hmmm_. This was odd. He was expecting pissed. He was braced for pissed. But Raven didn't exude any hints of anger. She seemed strangely nervous. Hope swelled in Beast Boy's chest, but he pushed it down.

"I, um, wanted to ask if it was true. What you said earlier."

Beast boy could only assume she was talking about his admission of affection. With no idea why she was asking this or what her endgame was, he considered her question cautiously. He figured the only thing he could do, however, was tell her the truth.

"Of course it was. Raven, I know you don't return the feeling but you... you fascinate me. I find myself wanting to be around you all the time. You're supposed to be the dark, depressing one around here but somehow, when I'm with you, you make me happy. I don't know, it just feels... right."

He risked a glance at her eyes. She still just stared at him.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I know that sounds stupid."

"It doesn't," he heard her soft voice enunciate.

"What?" he breathed, more out of disbelief than not hearing what she said.

Raven reached up and put her hood down, letting her violet hair swish around her face. Her eyes bore into him, conveying warmth.

"I said it doesn't sound stupid. Not at all."

With two long strides, she closed the distance between them. What she did next Beast Boy never would have seen coming. She tentatively reached her head up to his. Beast Boy didn't need an instruction manual. He knew what to do next.

When their lips met it sent shivers down his spine despite the heat that flushed his face and sank in his stomach.

The first time he did this he was too nervous to notice much. This time he was hyper aware of the girl in front of him. He picked up her rich, deep, but feminine scent, felt the flutter of her heavy lashes against his cheek, and tasted the faint trace of spiced tea on her lips.

She was intoxicating.

The kiss was sweet, light, and brief. Though Beast Boy could have spent hours kissing her, he was too dumbfounded by her forwardness to get greedy.

"Wait a minute, does this mean..." he asked cautiously as they separated.

"It means that you're right." She smiled at him. She was beautiful when she smiled. Each one was rare, so each one was precious. "I'll be honest: I don't understand this. I don't know why you of all people make me feel like this. But being around you feels right." She never broke eye contact, though Beast Boy could tell she was nervous.

Beast Boy felt like jumping, dancing, picking Raven up and spinning her around. He had to will every muscle to stay still. Being with Raven had turned into a secret dream of his, a fantasy that he spent more time thinking about than he should have because the chances of it actually happening were one in a million.

Beast Boy decided he should buy a lottery ticket. Clearly the odds were in his favor today.

"So..." Raven drawled. Beast Boy realized he had been grinning at her like an idiot for the past thirty seconds.

"So you and me," he said smoothly, trying his best to recover, "I guess we're together now."

Raven's smile faded into a look of amusement. He held one brow in a delicate arch. "We are?"

"Well, um, yeah," Beast Boy sputtered in an attempt to backpedal. "You know, if you want to."

Raven smirked. "What are you asking me?"

Beast Boy stood straighter, locked his eyes with hers, and ran over the words in his mind carefully. He felt like try we're in elementary school. "Raven, will you be my girlfriend?"

Raven laughed, a for a horrible moment he thought he screwed something up or that she was only making in of him this entire time. But he studied her face an the emotion in her eyes and realized she was happy. That this strange, unexpected relationship between them made her happy. Her chuckle died down and she looked at him with soft eyes.

"Beast Boy, I suppose I will."


	22. Chapter 22

AN: Sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Raven woke up feeling awfully energetic for someone who only had a few days left on Earth.

It was part of her new policy of living in the moment, she supposed. And in this moment, she was happy. It was the kind of true contentment she had only experienced a few times before. Though he probably wouldn't be up yet, she already wanted to see Beast Boy.

_Boyfriend_. The name felt silly, like it would be more appropriate in Junior High than in their situation, but however ridiculous it sounded, it was true. Raven had a boyfriend. Raven had Beast Boy.

She stared up at the ceiling from her position on her bed, biting her lip idly. That meant she was his girlfriend. Raven wasn't possessive, but she had to admit she liked being tied to him like that. Beast boy was a shining ball of energy that brought happiness to everyone around him. Raven liked the idea that now he was _her_ ball of light.

Raven debated her next move. The clock read 8:05 am. No, Beast Boy wouldn't be up yet. Though she wanted to see him she doubted marching up to his room was the smartest plan. It would seem intense and strange and would most likely scare him off. That wouldn't be a great start to their relationship.

Raven decided to wait for him in the common room. It would be the first place he'd go when he woke up and it would seem casual when they ran into each other. She still couldn't believe she was having this conversation with herself.

After moving through her morning routine, she emerged from her room and headed straight for the common room.

She never made it to her destination. Unfortunately, she was intercepted by Starfire.

"Raven!" she called sprightly when she caught sight of her in the hall. Her tone promised more than idle conversation.

"Good morning," Raven replied with about an eighth of her friend's enthusiasm. It was clearly still more than the other girl expected.

"You are in a pleasant mood, no?" Starfire questioned. Raven simply nodded in return and hopped she wasn't giving anything away. She was normally so good at masking emotions. Evidently she was losing her touch.

"Wonderful! Please friend, I was wondering if you might wish to see my gown of the ball. I am not sure if it is acceptable for your earthly 'gala.'"

Raven took a moment to weigh her desire to spend time with Starfire and her reluctance to take part in this fashion show. Of course, Starfire won.

"Sure, Star."

The girl beamed and let out a quick squeal. Raven smiled. She and Starfire were polar opposites, but the love and admiration she had for her friend couldn't have been greater.

Raven followed her to her room, only half listening as Starfire detailed her quest to find her chosen dress. She mostly focused on the girl's energy, letting her blissful aura wash over her.

Upon their arrival, Raven was directed to sit on the end of the bed as Starfire changed in the closet. Raven could only guess what the dress would look like, but knowing Starfire, it would be beautiful and it would be pink.

Surprisingly enough when Starfire emerged there wasn't a hint of pink in sight. Instead, she was wrapped in a gorgeous white creation that screamed elegance and beauty.

The under-layer was a solid white mini that hugged the length of her body. The top was strapless and dipped down in the center. On top of this was a layer of sheer, white, filmy fabric that made the dress truly spectacular. The bottom began to flow from the waist into a long, sheer skirt with a slight train. The top came up over the underplayed and gathered at the neck. Pinned there was one of Star's signature green medallions. The fabric of the dress was so light and airy that it billowed like smoke around her when she walked.

"Is it pleasing?" Starfire asked.

Raven was on to her. The way she but her lip nervously, the glimmer in her eyes, the cut of the dress...

"I'm sure Robin will love it," she said with a smile. Starfire blushed.

"Thank you friend Raven." Her demure fame brightened a bit. "Please, may I see your gown of the ball?"

Raven froze while trying to keep the pleasant look plastered on her face. She had two options: one, tell Starfire the truth, that she didn't have a dress yet, and be subjected to another shopping trip, or two, lie and claim that the matter was taken care of. Raven wanted to spend more time with Starfire, but she had her limits.

"It's, um... actually it's going to be a surprise."

"A surprise? Please, what is so surprising about it?"

Raven pursed her lips. She couldn't tell if Starfire was honestly confused or playing the naive alien card to try and catch her in a lie.

"Look, Star, no offense but I'm only wearing that thing once and it will be this Friday." _There. That sounds convincing._

"Oh. Alright." She sounded disappointed, but Raven was in too deep to backpedal now.

"Why don't we go and get breakfast?" she asked, trying to lift her friend's spirits.

It did seem to have some effect. "Yes, but we cannot do the hanging out for long. I have much work to do on the decorating of the common room."

"How much can you have left? You've been working on it since we got home."

The answer was a lot. Raven was startled to find massive amounts of boxes, ladders, hardware, and construction materials piled around the room.

"Uh, Starfire, you know this thing is on Friday, right?" Raven asked hesitantly. She didn't want to offend her, but the place looked like a disaster.

"Of course friend!" she replied, indicating she didn't get Raven's meaning. "It will be a most glorious celebration!"

The two girls were alone in the common room. The boy's had either already come and gone or were still asleep. Which meant cold cereal with hot tea was Raven's only option. She filled her kettle with water as Starfire settled in with a bowl of the cereal with little marshmallows in it.

"So Raven, what are your planned activities for this most pleasant afternoon?" she inquired. "You are not allowed to partake in the preparation for the party, no?"

"No," Raven answered as she joined Starfire with her tea and Cheerios, "I'm not. I think I'll catch up on my reading."

Another lie. The last thing Raven wanted to do was sit around alone with a book. Funny how quickly her priorities had changed.

But that left the question of how she did want to spend her time. Everyone else would undoubtedly be busy, though she had reason to help Beast Boy. It was a condition of her blackmail, after all. Raven's lip turned up in the corner. There was her excuse to seek out Beast Boy without it being awkward or creepy. It was a good thing she had found it, because frankly she was tired of waiting for him.

"Is there something amusing?" Starfire inquired, taking note of Raven's smirk.

"No, I was just... thinking," Raven responded. "Actually, I have to go." Raven stood and moved to deposit her half-finished bowl of cereal in the sink. As she turned to leave, she hesitated.

"Starfire?"

"Yes friend?"

"Thank you. For breakfast, I mean. It was... nice." A simple statement with an abundance of meaning.

"You are most welcome! I will see you later, Raven!"

Raven smiled as she walked through the grey sliding doors. The expression grew as she walked closer and closer to Beast Boy's room.

* * *

When she turned the corner, Raven was surprised to see Beast Boy's door open. She nervously inched closer and peeked her head inside.

Music played from the stereo on his desk, which she heard him faintly singing along with. Laundry, comic books, dirty dishes, and trash were all stacked in separate, mountainous piles on the floor. She deduced he was finally getting around to cleaning his room.

"What did Cyborg threaten to get you to clean this place?" She called from the doorway.

He poked his head out from inside the closet, grinning. "You don't even want to know. But I guess this is like, three years overdue."

"More than that," she countered with a smile. "Would you like some help?" She fidgeted with the edge of her cloak nervously. She just hoped she was doing this right.

She was relieved when his smile brightened at her offer. "Sure! Come in, but be careful."

Though she had to dodge a plethora of obstructions in her path, she successfully made her way over to Beast Boy. There was one thing superhero agility training was good for.

"So, do you have a system here, or...?"

"Yeah. I'm cleaning out the closet right now. Just throw the stuff in the right pile." He gestured to the mounds covering the floor. "That one's trash, that one's clothes-you get the idea."

Raven nodded and sat down beside him. The mountain of junk in his closet looked ominous, like it was daring her to touch it.

She wimped out and used her telekinesis.

It allowed her to move exponentially faster than Beast Boy did. She effortlessly extracted items and placed them in their correct pile. She assumed Beast Boy would organize the stuff he was keeping in each pile later.

"So that's why your room is always perfectly clean," Beast Boy commented, referring to her powers.

"No, my room is clean because I put things away after I use them," she retorted.

"Hey, I try to put things away. They just somehow find their way back out again," he said with a shrug. Raven stole a few sidelong glances at him. They sat crossed legged a few inches away from one another.

"So you don't have anything better to do on a Wednesday morning than help me clean? Not that I'm complaining," he rushed to add.

Raven rolled her eyes. When did she ever have big social plans? Only occasionally did she venture out as Rachel to... _Did he say Wednesday? _she thought with a rush of excitement. An idea came to her.

"Not right now, no. But later tonight, I was wondering... if you might want to go out with me," she finished unsteadily.

Her nerves melted away when she saw Beast Boy's face light up. "Of course I would. Have anywhere in mind?"

Raven smiled. "Yes, but it's a surprise. Meet me in my room at 7:30."

"It's a date," he said smoothly. Raven envied his confidence, but it made her feel safe, like he would never judge her or hurt her. Like she was doing something right.

Raven turned her attention back to the closet to try and hide the blush on her cheeks, but was surprised to find it almost empty. She grabbed the last few items with her hands and deposited them in the correct locations. Beast Boy remained seated on the floor.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked lightly. Raven was oddly pleased when she heard a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

"Actually, I do have a few things to do that I forgot about. But it was nice, seeing you," she blurted out. They both smiled awkwardly at one another. Beast Boy stood and moved towards her at her position by the door. He stopped a few inches from her face. Her heart clambered in her chest.

"Then I guess I'll see you tonight." Her eyes closed as he moved in closer, but instead of the kiss she was expecting, she felt a light brush of his lips against her cheek. She opened her eyes to find him beaming down at her.

"See you tonight," she echoed, turning to leave before she did something embarrassing.

* * *

Raven stared up at the sign. It seemed to be mocking her with its elegant, swirly letters. It said, y_ou might as well leave now. You're not welcome here. _The tall, twig-thin, blonde clientele that strode through the revolving door reinforced that idea. But welcome or not she had to do it. It was this or face the wrath of Starfire when she discovered Raven had a) lied to her, and b) still didn't have a dress.

Raven braced herself and walked through the doors of Saks 5th Avenue.

The place was an assault to the senses. Raven's nose was filled with the strong, florally scents wafting over from the perfume counter, where trim, bubbly girls liberally spritzed passersby. The merchandise that filed the store was a breathtaking rainbow of colors, from pale pink and emerald green to royal purple and cherry red. There was a faint tinkling of a piano in the background accented by the chatter and laughter from demure-voiced customers and sales clerks. Raven froze in the middle of the entryway, completely overwhelmed.

"Can I help you?" an elegant, smooth voice rang behind her. Raven turned quickly, trying to regain her composure.

"I need a dress," Raven blurted.

The woman smiled. But Raven could see right through her. She was sizing Raven up, and instantly determined that she was not a regular here and thus not worthy of her time.

"What kind of dress miss?" she asked like she was talking to a child.

Raven really wanted to stand her ground, but she knew anything that came out of her mouth would only further the woman's conclusion that she had no idea what she was doing. "A long dress," she finally settled on.

"Formalwear is on the fourth floor." Raven turned towards the elevators, eager to leave this woman and her saccharine smile.

She crowded inside the lift with a variety of chic women who looked bored, like they were here because they didn't have anything better to do. Raven was really glad she decided to wear her civilian disguise shopping. Not one of the women gave her a second glance.

Raven was taking Beast Boy to her cafe tonight, seeing how it was Wednesday and the band was playing. However, on her way back from Beast Boy's room this morning, she realized she couldn't take Beast Boy. Those at the cafe knew her as Rachel and she knew their date would be ruined if they went as Titans. They needed something less conspicuous.

Raven was covered. She decided to get the shopping trip over with now and just stay in her disguise until Beast Boy met her. Disguising Beast Boy was another matter. She spent most of the afternoon scheming ways to de-green him. Finally she thought of Cyborg and his holo-ring. The idea was a good one, but it had its complications. Explaining to Cyborg why she needed one was the biggest.

_"Let me get this straight. Beast Boy, the guy who goes outside just to have his picture taken like a celebrity, wants a holo-ring?" Cyborg raised his human eyebrow at her._

_"Like I said, he needs a disguise for some party planning thing." Raven shrugged, trying to look casual._

_"Uh-huh. So why are you asking for it?"_

_"I lost a bet." Bet, blackmail, close enough to the truth. Raven made sure to inject enough scorn to make it believable._

_"Okay then. Tell him I'll drop one off specifically programmed for him."_

_"Actually, I'll take it. Just leave it by my door." He gave her a dubious look, but thankfully didn't say more_.

Raven pursed her lips. That could have gone better. What was done was done though, and Raven focused her attention back to the task at hand. She exited the elevator and stood in front of the fourth floor. Evening wear.

If she thought the first floor was overwhelming, this one was even more so. Not only was there a barrage of colors and textures, but now there were _sparkles_.

Everywhere she looked things glimmered in the light. Raven gulped. It was enough to make her _almost_ wish Starfire were here.

"Can I help you find something miss?" This voice was deeper, gentler, and more genuine. Raven turned towards the source to find a short, brunette woman that appeared a little older that the rest. Still made up, still gorgeous, but in flat shoes and sensible clothing. Raven instantly felt a little more at ease.

"I need a dress," she stated simply. For a moment she was worried she would receive the same reaction she got downstairs. But the woman merely smiled.

"So you have anything in mind?"

Raven pursed her lips. "Something black."

The next few minutes flew by in a blur. Raven was led to an enormous dressing room complete with crystal chandeliers, spacious rooms, and a giant three-way mirror at the front. The evening wear section seemed empty and overstaffed today, as her salesperson was flanked by three or four others upon their arrival, all eager to "help." One by one, the brought back black selections, the older woman helping guide them based on Raven's reactions.

"No sequins."

"Bring the latest Badgley Mischka," the woman instructed.

"Isn't that kind of... revealing?"

"Perhaps she'll like the Reem Acra."

"Too poofy."

"Try the Marchesa."

Just when she thought she'd seen every black gown the store had to offer, another would come in for her approval or rejection. The store's supply was inexhaustible.

After thirty minutes of the dress parade, the women seemed to give up. They all wore looks of frustration, which Raven was sure were caused by her inability to pick a damn dress. Raven wanted to reassure them that she too was just as frustrated if not more so. Something about dress shopping must be appealing to them, given their choice of profession. Such was not the case for Raven.

Finally, the brunette thought of another option.

"Marianna love, go fetch the new black gown from the back. I can't remember whether it's a Vera or a Lulliher. You know which one I'm talking about."

When the garment arrived, Raven's reaction was neutral. She couldn't really tell what it would look like on a person, especially when it was partially hidden by a white bag. But she hadn't tried a single dress on yet, and she knew she was running out of options. Besides, it was a dress—she wasn't ever going to love it.

She stripped off her civilian ensemble and tried to find her way into the thing. It was a big dress, which didn't excite her, but before she could speak her objection the women swarmed her when she opened the door. One finished zipping the back and another bent to fluff the bottom, adding even more volume to the already sprawling dress.

"I think it's lovely," a helper clerk said amongst a chorus of "oohs," "aahs," and other girly exclamations. Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Take a look in the mirror," the brunette urged her. Raven ventured over to the long mirrors and studied her reflection.

The dress was... nice. It _was _big and even trained a foot or two in the back, but it was a smooth, silky material that wasn't too heavy and made the thing relatively easy to walk in. The top of the dress had thick straps and a square-cut neckline. The bodice was fitted to the waist where the large skirt fanned out. Raven liked the look of it though. It was classic, elegant, and understated, but still feminine. Her biggest complaint was the bust.

The neckline cut way down into cleavage territory and was rather snug in that region. The saleswoman caught Raven's uncertain look.

"The top tends to run a little small on this label," she explained.

_A little?_ Raven wondered sarcastically. The dress smashed her into showing way more than she wanted to. But still, it could probably be considered "sexy." _Beast Boy probably won't mind_, a part of her teased. Raven tried to keep the blush from her face in this dressing room full of strangers.

Raven sighed. _Well, this is as good as it gets_. Besides, her other option was more dress shopping.

She gave the woman a small smile. "I'll take it."

* * *

AN: I would be remiss if I did not once again mention my wonderful beta reader Steve6363 and thank him for all his help. I also have to brag because he's just started his first story, a great piece called Titans Fall. Check it out if you get a minute! And thank you, all you wonderful readers!


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Raven knew the only way she could get her disguised self and her gigantic dress bag into the tower unnoticed was through teleportation. She snuck away into the ladies room at Saks and locked herself in a stall before attempting it.

Once home and safe within the dark walls of her bedroom, she hauled the bag into the closet and shut the door, glad that particular experience was over with.

She glanced at the clock, trying to determine what more she could do with herself. She picked up her mirror and smirked. _I think this might be the first time I've actually used this as a mirror_. Studying her face, she drew her eyebrows together and frowned.

She wasn't completely naive when it came to the business of dating. She'd been forced to watch enough TV and movies to realize that guys wanted someone pretty, outgoing, feminine, and fun. None of which she could apply to herself.

It was an odd and delightful thing to realize that she really, _really_ wanted to see Beast Boy tonight. She craved his warm presence and missed him already. Their relationship, whatever it was, was just getting started; Raven's goal was to not screw it up.

Raven continued to analyze her reflection in the surface of the mirror. _Pretty_... Her hair, or rather, her black wig, was what it was, as was the state of her face. She didn't own any makeup and she certainly wasn't about to change that status. Today she bought a dress. That was the extent of her feminine capabilities. While she couldn't hold a candle to someone like Starfire, she figured she wasn't ugly. That was one thing going for her.

As much as the notion of her being outgoing or fun made her want to laugh, she knew she had to make some effort. Raven wiped the contemplative frown off her face and slowly arranged her features into a smile. It was small and still a ways from genuine, but it was passable. _And hey_, she reminded herself, _you're going out on a hot Wednesday date with your boyfriend to see a band._

Raven sighed. "Yeah, I'm the definition of fun."

She glanced at the clock. Five minutes left until 7:30. In an attempt to clear her head of her insecurities, Raven went over the logistics in her head.

Disguise, check. Holo-ring, check. She had found it outside her door as promised and had placed it in her pocket. Transportation was also a check. They would be traveling via teleportation. Raven sighed, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

All that was left to do was wait.

* * *

Beast Boy stopped a few feet shy of her door. He wiped his palms in his uniform, checked his breath, and raked a hand through his hair one more time.

_This is it_, he thought to himself. _Our first, er, no, second date_. He wasn't sure if the first one counted. Although he liked to think it did, he doubted Raven would agree. He took a deep, calming breath. He just didn't want to screw this up.

Three long-legged strides closed the gap between his position and the door. He reached up and knocked. Almost immediately the door slid open.

Beast Boy was surprised and confused when he saw her. The girl in front of him had long black hair with bangs and was dressed in street clothes. It was definitely Raven, but I took him a few seconds to register that this was her civilian disguise.

"Come in," she said quickly, all but pulling him inside. The door slid shut, enclosing them both in Raven's dark room.

He turned to her. "What's with the disguise? Don't want to be seen together?" It was a logical desire for her to have, especially for someone who valued her privacy so much, but it still stung a bit.

Raven smirked. "Don't worry, you've got one too." Beast Boy watched her quizzically as she pulled something from her pocket and placed it in his outstretched hand.

It was a silver band inlaid with a row of stones, a larger one at the center. His brows drew together as he looked up at her. "Umm, thanks?"

"It's a holo-ring, like the one Cyborg had. Put it on and turn the largest stone." Beast Boy followed he instructions as watched as the illusion spread across his body.

He held out his arms, which were now covered by the sleeves of a sharp leather jacket. Underneath was a black v-neck and a pair of dark wash jeans. What was most remarkable was his skin. No longer green, it was now colored a golden tan from head to toe.

"Dude," he breathed.

Raven seemed just as awestruck as he was. She stood there staring at him, mouth ever-so-slightly agape. Beast Boy puffed his chest out.

"How do I look?"

His comment seemed to pull her from her trance. She rolled her eyes, but Beast Boy could see a cute spread of pink rise on her cheeks. She move towards her dresser and grabbed something on top of it.

"Take a look." He realized she was holding out a mirror-_that_ mirror, if he remembered correctly.

"Oh, no. I'm not touching that," he said with his hands up. Raven let out something halfway between a laugh and a snort but held up the mirror so he could have a look for himself.

His normally shaggy green hair was now blonde, though his eyes remained their usual green. He smiled at himself. He looked good. He just hoped Raven thought so.

After a few seconds she returned the mirror and moved a hand towards the wall, opening another one of her swirling portals.

"Ready?" she asked softly.

"We're not flying?" he asked. He wouldn't dare tell her, but he hated using her powers for transportation. Her magic gave him chills, and not the good kind.

"Fly? And risk messing up my hair?" Raven asked sarcastically. Beast Boy couldn't help but laugh. She put so little thought into how she looked but was so damn beautiful.

"I wonder why I even asked." Grinning, he boldly took her hand and walked right in.

The portal deposited them into an alley. It was narrow, abandoned, and smelled rather unpleasant. Beast Boy looked down at his companion with one brow raised.

"We have to arrive here so no one will see us." She turned towards the mouth of the alley and gestured. "We're headed this way."

As they neared the street Beast Boy saw the glow of evening lights and heard the faint lilting of music. When they emerged he realized they were in the artsy district of town. Eclectic shops, restaurants, and galleries lined the street. She led him down two more blocks, the music growing louder as they approached their destination. Wordlessly, Raven stopped in front of the music's source.

It was a nicely-sized cafe whose sign read _Ree's_. All of the doors and windows were open, giving some fresh air to the overflow of people inside.

Beast Boy felt a tug on his hand and realized that Raven was still holding it. She pulled him forward and through the door.

The place was crowded and loud with music and chatter. It had a lively, vivacious atmosphere that he didn't think raven would enjoy. _I hope she didn't bring us here just for my sake..._

"Rachel!" one of the waitresses called while balancing a tray of food on her shoulder. It took Beast Boy a second to register that she was addressing Raven. "Your usual table is reserved!"

"Thank you," Raven called back before moving further inside. _Never mind_, he thought with a shake of his head, _apparently she's a regular_.

Raven made her way across the crowd. Her "usual table" was a booth halfway between the stage and the door with a white sign warning that it was reserved. Raven slid into the booth and Beast Boy took the seat across from her. He looked at her with both eyebrows raised.

Her lips turned up slightly. "This is my favorite cafe. They make the best tea in Jump City. Usually it's subdued and mellow. The rest of the week they have poetry readings and book clubs. But on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights it turns into this," she explained, gesturing to the scene around them. That did make more sense to him because the way it was tonight didn't seem like Raven at all.

"You must come here a lot for them to reserve a table for you."

She shook her head. "Not exactly. The owner, Ree, knows who I really am. We saved her once and she recognized me. She was an art major. She has a keen eye for faces. I called ahead and told her we were coming." Raven looked uncomfortable talking about it, like she didn't merit the favors. She was truly the most grounded, humble person Beast Boy knew.

The band finished the song they were playing to a round of applause. The lead singer was a tall, tan brunette with an abundance of eyeliner. She spoke with an obvious British accent.

"Thank you. We're moving a little closer to home for me with this next one. You know what it is." With that they moved into the soulful rhythm of Adele.

"Wow, she's incredible," Beast Boy commented as the girl belted the chorus.

"Yes, she is. She's been singing here as long as I've been coming"

"Seriously? She could be a professional."

Raven shrugged. "I asked Ree about her once. She's actually a very successful lawyer. She sings because she loves it."

"Hmm." He kept his attention on her for a few more seconds before returning it to Raven. She seemed uneasy. When he reached across the table to grab her hand, she jumped in surprise.

"Nervous?" he teased.

"Of course not," she quickly supplied, only further proving that she was indeed a little apprehensive about their first real date. She even threw in a forced smile that he had to laugh at.

"You know your real smiles are much prettier."

"I don't do real smiles."

"Yes you do. You smile a lot. Well, not a lot, but more than you used to." She had a contemplative look on her face that told him she hadn't realized she was doing it. Beast Boy took the opportunity to flag a waitress.

"Do you serve alcohol?"

"We have a limited selection," she replied quickly. She seemed a bit flustered in the impressive crowd.

"Can we haves bottle of your best red wine?" He was surprised she didn't ask for ID until he remembered who he was sitting across from. He didn't know how old "Rachel" was, but he doubted it would matter.

Speaking of Rachel, she was giving him a look.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Then why the look?"

She sighed. "I suppose there's nothing wrong with it, I'm just not a fan of drinking."

"It's wine Raven. In don't think it even counts. You look... like you could use a drink." He was about to say uncomfortable or tense but they had already established that she was "not nervous."

She raised a brow but didn't comment further. They sat in silence again, listening to the music. It was a good thing that was there; otherwise they would have to keep up a conversation, something neither of them seemed adept at right now.

The wine came, serving as a distraction. Beast Boy poured them both glasses, swirled his quickly, and took what would be better described as a gulp than a sip. Raven continued to swirl hers quietly, staring into the glass.

"I think it's good Rae," he offered.

She looked up quickly, pulled from whatever she was thinking about. "Thanks."

He nodded in return. The band moved into another song that he recognized as Imagine Dragons' _Demons_. He liked the song, but he liked the song more. He willed his mind to come up with a topic of conversation and ended up spitting out the first thing that came to mind.

"Interesting song choice. Demons." He nodded his head as she narrowed her eyes. "You know, 'cuz your half..." he trailed off, catching the angry, incredulous look on her face. _Man, where was I going with that?_ He tried again.

"So what have you been up to lately?" A fairly straightforward question, but she pursed her lips like she was debating her answer.

"I had to buy a dress today." The look on her face was so disdainful that he had to crack a smile.

"Did Star take you?"

"No. And don't tell her I went. I might have lied to her about already having one."

Beast Boy smirked. That sounded like the Raven he knew. "Did you go to the mall?"

"Unfortunately no. I found this _place_ downtown. I think it had the word 'sack' in the name. Anyways, it was like Starfire's definition of heaven."

"And your definition of hell?"

Raven nodded with a grimace. "I'm still trying to get the stench of perfume out of my clothes."

Beast Boy chuckled at the anecdote while reaching over to pour himself another glass. Seeing that Raven was done with hers, he filled her glass as well. She sighed but accepted it.

"How did the cleaning go?"

"We'll it only took six cans of Lysol, a bottle of Windex, five rolls of paper towels, 13 garbage bags, and one of Cyborg's handheld blowtorches but it looks... presentable."

Raven smiled at this, a big one that almost, _almost_ showed teeth.

"See? There's a smile," he said lightly. Raven rolled her eyes. "I gotta say, I'm getting kinda excited for this party Friday night."

Raven's grin faltered. _Oops, right, sore subject._ Beast Boy figured that although she was more accepting of it, "excited" would never describe her feelings towards the event.

Her reply confused him more than anything. "It'll be nice," she said softly.

Nothing about her facial expression, voice, or body language indicated that she really thought it to be "nice." She must still be trying to please everyone. Beast Boy didn't say anything, figuring she didn't really want to talk about it. Instead he changed the subject.

"How did you get Cyborg to make me a holo-ring?"

Raven frowned. "Not tactfully. I told him you needed it for party planning and that I lost a bet that required me to help you for a while. This the reason I was asking for the ring."

"That's not a _horrible_ excuse."

"No, but he was suspicious all the same. Oh well," she sighed, tipping her glass up to catch the last few drops.

"I really like this place," Beast Boy offered after a moment. It was true; the cafe had a vibrant atmosphere yet wasn't too overwhelming.

Raven grinned. "You should see it on a holiday. I accidentally came here on St Patrick's Day last year and the place was like a zoo."

"How did you 'accidentally' come here?"

Raven threw her hands up in defense. "I didn't know it was St. Patrick's Day. Otherwise I wouldn't have come." She seemed a lot more relaxed now that she had some wine in her system. Her lips rested in a small smile and her speech seemed five times more expressive.

"You don't celebrate on St. Patrick's Day? It's the best holiday of the year! Beer, kissing, pinching, and _green_. You should have at least stayed for a Guinness."

Raven raised her brows. "Do I even want to know?"

Beast Boy knew she wasn't one for drinking, but this was unacceptable. "Seriously, you've never had a Guinness? It's beer Raven, not some weird Irish custom."

"Sorry. I know I don't get your references and social protocol." She said it with a bit of an edge.

Beast Boy sighed. She didn't get it, did she? "No, you don't. You don't get my jokes, my slang, my references, any of it. We grew up in two different worlds." Her face fell with every word. "But that's what makes you who you are. That's why I like you."

"How?" She interjected softly. "How do you see my dark, introverted, cynical personality and find attraction?" She sounded incredulous. Beast Boy stared at her for a few seconds before responding.

"Look around. There are dozens of pretty, social, outgoing girls in here. But you... You're not pretty. You're beautiful. You're not social with strangers, but I'd rather spend all day talking with you than anyone else. Everything you say and do is unique and deliberate and different. Believe it or not Raven, you're the funniest, kindest, and most interesting person I know. And you being cynical is bullshit. You're an optimistic, hopeful romantic and everyone knows it. Raven, how could I not like you?"

She stared at him. She blinked. She opened her mouth and closed it, taken aback by his speech. He saw a taint of pink in her cheeks.

"Oh," was all she managed to get out. Beast Boy wasn't sure if this was a good reaction or a bad one. He didn't want to overwhelm her so early in the night. He redirected the conversation back to lighter territory.

"So you've never had a Guinness, huh?" Raven relaxed her posture a bit and shook her head no. A smile crept onto Beast Boy's face. "Well we'll have to fix that."

Raven finally found some words. "No way. I've already had two glasses of wine. I don't need a beer on top of that."

"Oh, relax. You have to try one. It's my favorite kind of beer. You have tried beer, right?" With Raven's track record, he had to ask.

When she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, he knew the answer was no.

"Oh, now you have to try it. Come on, just a sip won't kill you. Succumb to peer pressure!"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. But only because of your usage of 'succumb.'"

Beast Boy grinned. Finally, English was coming in handy.

Two songs later the beers arrived, delightfully chilly in their mugs. For a joint with a limited alcohol selection, they had all of the good stuff.

Beast Boy held his up in a toast. "To... to the Titans," he decided on. Raven smiled and brought her mug to his.

"To the Titans."

Raven took a tentative sip of the stuff and scrunched her nose. "It's strong," she commented.

Beast Boy laughed. "You get used to it." Surprisingly enough, she went in for another sip. Beast Boy watched her drink to an excellent rendition of that Gotye song.

"Have you seen the guest list for my party?" she suddenly blurted. Beast Boy figured it was her attempt at conversation.

"Yep. Other than the five of us and pretty much the entirety of Jump City's upper-level government, they've invited the Titans East, all of the honorary Titans, the governor of California, some big-league businessmen, a handful of celebrities, and like, fifty members of the press."

Raven frowned. "The president isn't coming?"

Beast Boy erupted in laughter. Surprisingly, that wasn't all Raven had to say about the matter.

"This should be one hell of a party. And not in a good way. Did you see the common room today? It looks like a war zone. I think we might regret giving Starfire decorating duty. There better be alcohol there. Did you order alcohol from that restaurant?"

Speaking of alcohol, Raven was halfway through her Guinness. That explained why she was suddenly so chatty. Beast Boy felt fine-he'd had years to build his alcohol tolerance. Raven didn't have all that experience under her belt.

"Are you implying that I, Beast Boy, could somehow manage to forget the most important element of a party?"

Raven shrugged. "Just making sure."

"And to answer your question about the common room, you'll just have to wait. I've seen Star's sketches. That place is going to look amazing." Raven looked a little skeptical.

"I hope so. We need something to distract from my lack of social prowess."

"Oh, you'll do fine. I'll be right there with you." She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "But not too close, because I doubt you want all of Jump City to know we're... together."

She seemed relieved. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm just not ready to tell anyone yet. You haven't told any of the others, have you?"

"Nope," he reassured her. "I understand. You need your privacy." He smiled sincerely at her to enforce the statement.

She returned it. "Thank you." He realized that she was pouring herself a third glass of wine. Her mug was empty.

"I take it the Guinness wasn't too bad?"

"No. Normally I don't drink this much, but tonight I just feel, I don't know, alive."

Beast Boy grinned. "It must be me."

Raven giggled. _Giggled_. Her eyes turned towards the band and the crowd forming in front of the small stage. "Want to go up there?"

Beast Boy was surprised, but only responded with a "sure."

She took his hand firmly and led him through the maze of people to the front. Beast Boy had no idea what song it was, but it was upbeat and catchy. The people around him swayed and sang along.

Raven finally stopped weaving her way through the crowd. They were front and center. The music reverberated in his chest and the crowd pulsated with energy. Raven turned to face him instead of the band. They were forced into close quarters by the sheer amount of people around them. Beast Boy wasn't complaining.

As the song ended the crowd gave their usual round of well-deserved applause. When the music started again Beast Boy smiled. It was a song he knew: 'Little Talks' by Of Monsters and Men.

_I don't like walking around this old and empty house_

_So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear_

_The stairs creak as you sleep, it's keeping me awake_

_It's the house telling you to close your eyes_

The song had such a peppy, fun sound that people around them started dancing. Beast Boy, feeling full of energy, joined in. Raven, as expected, did not.

Beast Boy brought his lips to her ear and shouted. "I dare you to dance with me!"

Raven immediately shook her head.

"Come on Rae!" Another shake.

Beast Boy decided to make this interesting. "If you dance with me right here, right now, I'll teepee Robin's room right before the gala on Friday. I do believe it's stop number six on our little tour."

Raven's eyes widened. "You wouldn't do it. Robin would be furious."

"Oh, I'd totally do it. It would be hilarious and you know it. Come on Rae. Dance!"

She sighed and took a step back. Beast Boy took it as a sign that she was backing down from the challenge. His jaw dropped when she started to do it: she was dancing.

He was ashamed to say he didn't have very high expectations of her dancing ability. It _was_ Raven. Whether it was some hidden natural ability or the alcohol, she was moving around freely and rhythmically, her hips swaying to the beat. She laughed when she caught Beast Boy's look. He shook his head and joined her.

_Don't listen to a word I say_

_Hey!_

_The screams all sound the same_

_Hey!_

_Though the truth may vary_

_This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore_

When the song was over they decided to move back to the table. Raven plopped herself across from him, grinning.

"I'm thirsty. Do you see a waitress?"

Beast Boy flagged one and ordered himself a vodka tonic and a water for Raven.

"Actually, I'll take what he's having," Raven said to his surprise. He turned their attention back to the events in front of the stage as the waitress scurried away.

"You just danced. You."

"Yep. You better stock up on toilet paper."

Beast Boy frowned. "To be honest, I made that deal under the impression you would never do it."

"Well that was your mistake."

Beast Boy groaned and turned his head skyward. "The Mayor's going to kill me."

A few seconds went by without a word from Raven. He turned his head back to her. She had a vaguely forlorn look on her face. When she noticed his gaze she blinked it away.

"What?"

"Nothing," she replied smoothly, "I was just imagining your funeral. I would have to stand there and explain that you were slain over a bunch of toilet paper."

"Ha ha," he shot back at her. Before he could say more their waitress appeared with the cocktails.

Beast Boy held his up again. "Bottoms up." Before he took a sip he was distracted. Raven took his suggestion a little too literally and tipped hers up, downing the drink with a few large gulps. He stared at her slack-jawed.

"You've gone from refusing wine to chugging vodka."

She shrugged. "I think I'm getting used to it."

_Not a good sign_. "Okay, you're officially cut off."

She pretended to pout. "You've had just as much as I have."

"Yeah well I've had years to perfect the art of drinking. I can hold my liquor."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom," she suddenly blurted. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"You better be," he teased as she moved away. She shot him a look.

_Raven_...

Beast Boy was still incredulous that she was here, with him, laughing while on a date. It was probably the alcohol, but she was really coming out of her shell now.

More importantly, she was here with him, as _his_ date. Raven was perfect. He was in awe that she actually agreed to be in a relationship with him.

He thought back to their conversation about the gala. Not only was Friday the big night for that, but it was also Raven's actual birthday. He knew he needed to get her something special, but he didn't have a clue what.

As he puzzled over it he saw her returning out of the corner of his eye. In her hand she had another drink.

"I thought I said you were cut off," he reminded her, only half-joking.

"This really nice guy gave it to me on my way back," she reported perkily. "He said he didn't want it."

Beast Boy tried not to laugh at her innocence. Being the responsible person he was, he took the glass and sniffed it. Brandy. Thankfully it was only brandy. He was starting to get a little worried. She wasn't acting like her usual, reserved self at all. She seemed energetic and happy, which would be great if they were of natural cause, but Beast Boy suspected they were not.

He handed the half-drank glass back to her where she finished it before he could protest. She seemed okay other than the attitude change. Maybe she had a naturally high alcohol tolerance.

Raven nodded to the band with a gleam in her eye. "Wanna dance again?"

He nodded, moving with her once again to the front of the crowd just in time for another song to start. Beast Boy didn't recognize it, but it had a racy beat. He looked at Raven, who swayed her hips with abandon and grinned at him. When he listened to the lyrics, heat flushed his face.

_Sweating our confessions_

_The undone and the divine_

_The sweetest submission_

_Drinking it in_

_The wine, the women_

_The bedroom hymns_

_Cause this is his body_

_This is his love_

_Such selfish prayers_

_And I can't get enough_

Beast Boy faced Raven squarely. She had a gleam in her eye that drew him in. Her eyes mesmerized him, the music urged him on.

They were still for a heartbeat. Then they sprang forward.

Beast Boy smashed his lips to hers as he frantically grasped for her. She clung to him, pushing herself against his body like this was the last kiss either of them would ever have. After a few seconds she parted her lips, allowing him to further taste her beautiful mouth.

_I'm not here looking for absolution_

_Because I found myself an old solution_

_I'm not here looking for absolution_

_Because I found myself an old solution_

He pulled away from her and heard her gasp for air. He moved his mouth down, planting kisses along her neck and collarbone. She tasted so good. She felt so good. He nipped her skin, causing her to jump slightly and let out a soft moan. He moved back to her mouth.

Something registered in Beast Boy's brain. He was suddenly aware that the song had ended. He pulled away from her quickly, though he kept his arms around her waist. A few people around them were watching with amusement. Beast Boy turned back to Raven, whose cheeks were a deep crimson.

"Wanna go back to the table?" he asked breathlessly. Raven nodded. He noticed her swaying slightly, but he was too caught up in the adrenaline rush from the kiss to pay much attention. Hell, he was probably swaying from the high.

He did notice when she reached their table and kept walking, slamming into the side of it like she didn't notice it was there. She stumbled backwards, moving like a drunk. _Oh_. She was drunk. _Oops_...

Apparently the brandy was the straw that broke the camel's back. Whereas before she seemed to be functioning just fine, she now looked a little dazed and uncoordinated as she finally found success trying to slide into the booth. Beast Boy felt bad. Although he certainly would like to press the resume button on their little make out session, he felt like he was taking advantage of her. Who knew if sober Raven would approve. He hoped so, but right now his first priority needed to be getting her home before she hurt herself.

"Raven?"

"Yeeesh?" she slurred. _Shit, shit, shit..._

"Okay, that came on fast. I think it's time to get going." While most of him felt bad, there was a small part that just wanted to laugh. Here was the confident, cool, collected Raven—usually a force to be reckoned with—looking like a college girl at her first frat party. But this wasn't a college girl, this was Raven. And right now she needed him to take care of her when she couldn't take care of herself.

"Why?" she pouted. "We're having so much fun. You wanna have more fun?" She asked seductively, throwing her swaying body a little closer to him.

_Yes_. "No. I want to go back home now. Come on," he said, mustering all his willpower to keep pulling her towards the door. She stumbled along after him.

He caught sight of the waitress on the way and handed her a wad of bills.

"Nope, on the house for Miss Rachel," she smiled brightly. He shook his head.

"At least accept a tip." The waitress thanked him as he guided Raven away.

"Rachel?" she asked. "Oh yeah, my name is Rachel now. I'm Rachel!" she sang as they walked through the door. _Oh my God..._

Outside, it had grown a little chilly. Beast Boy took his jacket off and wrapped it around Raven, who didn't seem to notice. He held her hand as he approached the edge of the street to hail a cab. Strangely enough, the street was dark. He looked up and discovered why.

Every one of the streetlights was busted.

There was no way that was a coincidence. He looked at the girl beside him. _Was it the kiss? _While that seemed the likely explanation, he didn't have time to analyze it; a cab pulled up in front of them, ready to transport him and his incapacitated cargo.

He slid into the vehicle and pulled Raven along with him. She snuggled up beside him, stretching out into the vehicle's interior.

"Where to?"

Beast Boy hesitated. "The Pier, please." The cab lurched forward.

Raven started giggling again. "Hi," she called to the front seat. "My name is Rachel. See, I have black hair." She held up a lock of it to prove her point.

Beast Boy sighed. The cab driver was giving him a look in the rearview mirror that people give irresponsible parents. "Sorry, Rachel here had a little too much to drink."

"Just don't let her puke in my cab," the driver said flatly.

Raven was content with looking out the window for a while, but then turned her head towards Beast Boy. "That was fun," she commented. "We should go again." She had lowered her voice to a whisper only intended for Beast Boy.

"Yeah," he drawled. "Remind me that you have a one drink limit on Friday." He played with a few strands of her hair as he supported the head rested on his shoulder. It was kind of soft, but nothing like Raven's real hair.

She brightened up at the mention of the gala. "I have a big surprise for you all. But I can't tell you. It's a secret." She spoke in a low, quiet voice for emphasis.

"I'm sure I'll love it." Thankfully they were almost to the Pier.

She shook her head. "No you won't. You won't like it one bit."

Before he had time to question her further, the cab stopped. They had arrived. Beast Boy paid the driver and helped Raven out of the cab. He waited until the driver was gone and checked to make sure no one was around.

"Okay Raven, I need you to fly. Can you do that?" There was no way in hell he was letting her teleport them back. He feared only half of them would make it.

Raven flapped her arms in response. "Nope." She looked disappointed.

_Okay, plan B_. He transformed into a Pterodactyl and grabbed her under the arms as gently as he could. Then he took off over the bay. Surprisingly, he didn't hear a peep from her all the way to the roof of the tower.

When he landed he realized it was because she had fallen asleep.

Turning back to his human form, he picked her up and carried her to the roof entrance. He continued down flights of stairs and the familiar maze of hallways, peeking around the corner before entering each one. Finally, he arrived at Raven's room.

He laid her down gently on the bed, placing her head on a pillow and brushing the hair from her sweaty face . He decided take the wig off, as well as her shoes. She stirred as he did so.

"Beast Boy?" She asked groggily.

"Shh, we're home." She looked around slowly to confirm that.

His job done, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight Raven." He stood to leave, but felt a tug on his hand.

"Stay with me," she whispered. "I don't want to be alone." She looked so beautiful laying there, with her milky skin glowing in the moonlight and her violet hair splayed across the pillow. He couldn't resist.

"Okay. I'll stay for a little while."

He sat down on the bed, leaning his back against the headboard. Raven snuggled into him again, resting her head on his chest.

After awhile her breathing slowed. Beast Boy could tell she was asleep. He himself was tired, letting out a few yawns. _Another minute and I'll go back to my room_, he kept telling himself. Tomorrow morning would be hard enough for Raven without an extra person in her bed.

He took the holo-ring off and placed it on Raven's nightstand. He liked to see his skin turn back to it's normal green.

He looked back down at the girl in his arms. He played with her hair as he studied her face. She looked calm and serene, her usual guarded expression dissolved with sleep. His fingers moved down to lightly trace her facial features. He sighed. She was beautiful. He kept stroking her soft, violet hair until he too fell asleep.

* * *

AN: Reasonably timed updates? What are those? On the bright side, this was the longest chapter yet.

I really hate to do this, but I think that I'm going to have to move this story to an M rating based on future scenes. Don't get crazy, it won't be lemony, but I think I'm already pushing the boundaries of "T" and want to be safe. To my younger readers, if you want to continue reading but don't want your innocence spoiled, I will warn you beforehand so you can skip right over these parts. Sorry!

Also, I wanted to include links so you all can hear the two songs I included lyrics for (**I don't own the songs or the videos**). I chose them based on their sound more than the lyrics, so I would encourage you to take a listen to get an idea of the mood I'm trying to set. Go to YouTube and add these to the end of your URL (they won't let me paste full links).

Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men: watch?v=5oNToCIXD6w

Bedroom Hymns by Florence + the Machine: watch?v=RqGRJZFpkfc

XOXO Gwen


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Raven's senses came to her slowly. The first thing she was aware of was the incessant pounding in her head. As it pulled her from her sleep, she noticed her sore limbs and queasy stomach. She tried cracking open an eye and instantly regretted it. The light felt like knives stabbing at her retinas.

_What the hell?_ she wondered as she groaned. She must be sick, which was strange since she had such a superior immune system and healing capabilities. She didn't feel bad yesterday, did she? Her brain was foggy and slow and try as she might, she couldn't recall exactly what had happened the day before. It seemed like a vague dream.

Seeking some relief, she went to stretch her arms but soon realized they were somehow restrained. Adrenaline shot through her. She had no idea where she was. The instant her eyes were exposed to the light she had closed them; though she had assumed this was her room, she wasn't entirely sure. Propelled by fear, she slowly opened her eyes and braced herself against the morning sun.

The good news was that she was in her own room. The bad news was that something foreign was in her bed with her. Looking down, she realized that the foreign restraint was a green arm wrapped around her. Her brain may have been moving slowly, but it didn't take her too long to piece together what that meant. Beast Boy was here, in her bed, spooning her like they were married or something.

"Beast Boy," she hissed. He grunted but didn't reply. In her desperation she jammed an elbow into his stomach. That worked.

"What?" he said loudly, disoriented from his sudden arousal. Raven resisted the urge to cover her ears from his booming voice. He moved so he was sitting upright and yawned as he assessed the scene around him.

"What do you think?" she ground out incredulously. "You're in my bed."

Fully coming to, his eyes grew wide. He scrambled to untangle himself from her sheets and stumbled to the floor.

"Oh, uh... well in my defense you invited me."

Raven could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She... _invited_ him? _Oh shit. What did I do? _She willed her slow brain to recall what the hell happened that had landed them in this situation. She worked through the last of what she could remember. _I was eating breakfast with Starfire, then there was the dress, then Beast Boy and I were going to Ree's..._ Her train of thought stopped as the rest clicked into place. _Oh God, is this... a hangover? Did I get drunk?_ Then she remembered that Beast Boy had woken up beside her. _Oh God..._

Beast Boy must have caught her look of horror because he rushed to clarify. "It wasn't like that, it was just, um, how much do you remember?"

"We were going to my cafe," she began hesitantly.

He nodded. "Yeah, Ree's. We had a great time but you had a little too much to drink and I had to carry you back here and then you asked me to stay with you," he said in a rush. He had a twinge of pink in his cheeks as well. At least he was somewhat embarrassed about the whole ordeal. Raven was mortified.

"I feel like shit."

Beast Boy laughed and relaxed a little. "That's what happens after three glasses of wine, a Guinness, a vodka tonic, and half a brandy." Raven's head spun with that information. That, or it spun sheerly from the hangover. Beast Boy stood to his full height and moved towards the window. Mercifully, he drew her curtains closed, letting only a sliver of light in to see by. She was glad to note he was still in his uniform.

"You don't have a very high alcohol tolerance," he stated factually. "I'm going to go get you my signature hangover cure. Just take it easy until I get back." He seemed rather amused by all of this. Raven scowled.

"This is _not_ funny," she hissed, her voice extra raspy.

"Nope, not until you remember what happened last night. _Then_ it'll be funny." He winked and slipped out the door before she could reply.

Raven fell back against her pillow. How could she have let this happen? What was she thinking last night? What did she _do_ last night?

Determining that that had to be her first priority, she cleared her mind as best she could and thought back to the previous day. She remembered the dress debacle, and teleporting home with the thing. She remembered Beast Boy slipping on the holo-ring, teleporting them to the alley, taking a seat at Ree's... that's were things got fuzzy. She willed her brain to recall what happened after that. Eventually it obliged and slowly painted her a not-so-pretty picture.

She remembered laughing, giggling, _dancing_, and stumbling around like an idiot. "Great," she moaned, "way to make an excellent impression."

The only positive thing she recalled is that she didn't let any details about tomorrow night slip, though she did hint that there would be a "surprise." She gritted her teeth and rubbed her temples, trying to keep her anger and regret at bay. _That was so stupid_, she berated herself, _I could have ruined everything._

She may not have ruined everything, but she did ruin one thing: any chance she had at staying with Beast Boy. He probably thought she was the biggest moron on the face of the planet. She ran through anything she could possibly say to him when he returned to make up for last night, but she came up blank. There was no recovering from this one.

Before she could think it through any more, her door slid open, letting a flood of light from the hallway pour in. Raven squinted against it but caught sight of Beast Boy's tall, lanky silhouette moving inside. Once the darkness was back she relaxed her eyes.

"Alright, I have one Bloody Mary and a glass of water with Alka Seltzer. Drink this one first," he said, handing her the glass of red liquid. She took it silently and followed his instructions. He sat down casually on the edge of her bed, an action that would have garnered a glare had the circumstances been different. Right now the only thing Beast Boy would be getting was an apology.

"Listen, Beast Boy, about last night... I'm really, really sorry about everything. I acted like such an idiot and I—"

"Raven," he said firmly, cutting her off. "I had more fun last night than I've had in years. And not just because you were drunk, because that only happened at the end," he clarified. "Whether you're sober or drunk or asleep or PMSing, I'd rather be with you than anywhere else. Don't worry about it Raven, I'm here for you. I've got your back." He gave her a soft, simple smile like last night was par for the course. Like he didn't care at all that she had behaved so regrettably.

Images of him helping her along to the cab, carrying her back to the tower, and getting her to bed flashed through her mind, bringing an embarrassing amount of moisture to her eyes. That was when she realized the truth: she didn't have to worry about making any kind of impression, because Beast Boy already knew her. He already accepted her. All this time she was worried about dating and being in a relationship but in reality they'd been in a relationship for five years. They'd been friends. What they had now was taking that one step further.

All the anxiety she harbored over appearing likable, being a good girlfriend, having any kind of intimacy and the physicality of their relationship melted away. This was _Beast Boy_, her best friend and her boyfriend. All she had to do was be herself. His smile alone lifted that weight from her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said quietly. It was all she could muster for verbal communication. The rest she expressed non-verbally.

She leaned towards him and gently brought her lips to his. It was a light, tentative kiss, but it still brought fluttering to her stomach. As the kiss deepened the feeling grew in intensity. Raven felt like she was in paradise, like her skin was burning with a rush of pleasure, like her head was spinning. Then she realized that the fluttering had turned into nausea.

She ripped her mouth away from his and leapt from the bed, scrambling towards the door. "Raven?" she heard from behind her, but she just had to keep moving. When she made it to the door and it slid open, she thought she was going to run into the wall. The light made her dizzy and disoriented. Somehow she managed to stumble her way down the hall and into the bathroom.

In some undeserved stroke of luck, she made it to the toilet before emptying the contents of her stomach. Raven _hated_ getting sick. There was absolutely nothing dignified about it. She sat there in a helpless heap for a few moments, regurgitating Beast Boy's thoughtfully made drink.

As if this moment couldn't get any worse, she turned to discover that Beast Boy had followed her into the bathroom. _Fantastic, a witness_. He moved in and sat down beside her, rubbing her back and holding her hair as another round of nausea hit.

When Raven was confident there was nothing left to throw up, she flushed the toilet and let Beast Boy help her over to the sink. The cool water on her face helped immensely. Before she could ask for it, Beast Boy was beside her with a clean towel. She took it gratefully and finished cleaning up.

Wordlessly, he helped her back to her blissfully dark room and into her bed once more. She looked at him with shining, unbelieving eyes.

"You really like me, don't you?"

He chuckled. "How can you tell?"

"Let's see, you carried me home when I got drunk, made me a hangover cure, then helped me as I ever-so-gracefully vomited it up." She groaned as her head began to pound harder. He handed her the other drink and placed a cool washcloth on her forehead that presumably came from the bathroom.

"Yep, that was pretty gross," he teased as he wrinkled his nose. "So you're right, I must really like you." He winked and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. The gesture was innocent and chaste, but it still made Raven's heart beat a little faster.

"Now, I'm going to let you get some sleep. When you get up and you're feeling better, I'm going to take you to _my_ favorite place."

"Where?" Raven couldn't imagine feeling well enough to go anywhere, but Beast Boy seemed pretty confident. He did have more experience in the hangover department, thought it wasn't something to brag about.

"It's a surprise," he said softly as he moved towards the door. "Go to sleep Raven, I'll see you later."

"Thank you," she whispered as he moved out the door. A tear slid down her cheek. "For everything."


	25. Chapter 25

AN: Alright, we're officially in the M section thanks to the second half of this chapter. You have been warned...

Love ya!

Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 25**

"A little higher, please." The man brought the length of fabric up another two feet. Starfire cocked her head, assessing the change. "I believe that will do most wonderfully! Thank you!" She gave him a beaming smile to let him know she really did appreciate his help getting the valences to just the right height. She turned to face the rest of the room, assessing what else needed her attention.

Dozens of people moved throughout the Titan's common room, some hanging candles, others cleaning the newly-installed hardwood flooring, and those under Cyborg's instruction helping to put up the new wall panels and columns. Most were sent by the Mayor to help out, the others by the companies supplying the materials.

Starfire caught sight of Cyborg heading towards the common room doors, presumably to take a break in the new temporary kitchen. She looked down at her list and around the room. She was delighted to find that they were ahead of schedule; Cyborg's breaking was acceptable. In fact, she decided it would be nice to join him.

As the common room was getting a complete makeover for the gala, it was necessary to install a kitchen in one of the spare bedrooms for the Titans and the caterers to use. Starfire ambled through the hallway blissfully, caught up in the excitement surrounding the celebration. When she arrived in the kitchen, Cyborg had already reheated a few slices of leftover pizza and sat down at the small, circular table in the corner. The rest of the room was dominated by professional-grade kitchen appliances that none of the Titans had dared to touch. They stuck with the refrigerator and microwave that were pulled from their original kitchen and situated next to the table.

"Greetings friend!" she called as she perused the selection of foods in the cupboard. "Is today not most enjoyable?" She decided on a bag of the popped corn and placed it in the microwave, making sure to remove the plastic first. That was a lesson learned from experience.

"Yeah," Cyborg huffed in reply, "everyone loves a to-do list."

"Oh, I hope our friends are liking their lists to-do. They seem most agreeable," she noted about their new staff. Cyborg gave her one of those smiles that frustrated her, the one that said she had missed something or said something humorous when she did not intend to. Before she could inquire as to exactly what that was, the microwave beeped, signaling that her snack was ready.

After joining Cyborg at the table, she took a handful of the fluffy pieces and popped them in her mouth, letting their buttery taste turn her lips into a smile.

"Hey, Star, can I ask you something?" Cyborg had a frown on his face and his eyebrows drew together in concentration.

"Of course. You may ask me anything."

"Have you noticed anything going on with Beast Boy and Raven? Both of them have been acting downright strange lately. I mean, when's the last time you saw either of them?"

"I had a most pleasant morning with Raven yesterday, though I did not see Beast Boy at all." Now that she thought about it, that in itself was odd. Beast Boy was a very social person and spent most of his time around his friends.

"And did Rae seem a little off to you?"

"Off of what?"

"I mean did she act weird," he clarified.

"Oh. Well she did agree to view my gown of the ball and suggested that we share the mealtime together, but she did not seem to be acting too peculiar." Starfire bit her lip, trying to think back in case she missed something.

"Hmm," he sighed. "Yesterday she asked me for a holo-ring for Beast Boy."

"To make him disguised?"

"Yeah. Thing is though, she said it was for some party thing and that she lost a bet to him and had to run his errands for a while. The whole excuse seemed weak and far-fetched to me. I don't know what they're up to, but it's definitely something."

The doors slid open, startling them both. Fortunately, it was only Robin. Starfire's face lit up as he walked in. She hadn't seen much of him lately either.

"Robin!" she greeted enthusiastically.

To her surprise he gave her a big smile back. "Hey Star. Cyborg," he nodded, giving his friend a clearly unexpected fist-bump as he passed him to get to the fridge. "What's up? I'm not interrupting something, am I?"

"Of course not!" Starfire rushed to assure him. "Cyborg and I were simply discussing friends Beast Boy and Raven."

"What about them?" He grabbed a can of soda and joined them at the table.

"Well I know you haven't noticed anything up there in the evidence room, but something's going on with the two of them," Cyborg explained.

Robin furrowed his brow, considering the information. "Well, we did tell Beast Boy to keep an eye on her. Somehow that turned into helping him with his party chores," he said with an amused look.

"But I thought Raven was not to help in any way?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah, well, we thought it would be good for her so I made an exception. Is she still tense?"

"No, in fact she appears to be in good spirits," Starfire reported. "Perhaps you and Beast Boy were correct."

"No, something else is going on, I'm sure of it," Cyborg mused. "There has to be something they're not telling us. I pulled up the tower's entry logs and they've been out of the tower like twenty times over the past couple days."

"What's weird about that?"

"When I asked him Beast Boy said he was here the whole time. Plus he got all nervous and jumpy about it. He's a horrible liar." They all shook their heads in agreement. "Though I can't imagine what Raven has to do with it."

A thought occurred to Starfire. "Perhaps they are doing the dating," she suggested brightly. "It would give explanation to their disappearances, the time they are spending with one another, and their sneakiness."

The two boys sat there for a second, staring at Starfire. Then they burst out laughing. She did not understand what was so funny about the suggestion.

"Please, why are you laughing?"

"Beast Boy," Cyborg gasped between snickers, "and Raven. _Dating_." This only made him laugh harder.

"Sorry Starfire," Robin explained when he got a hold of himself. "We're not laughing at you. It's just that Beast Boy would be the last person on Earth Raven would want to date."

"Yeah, the day those two hook up is the day Spiky over here dyes his hair pink," Cyborg chortled, jabbing a thumb at Robin.

Their laughter was cut short when the door slid open. Beast Boy waltzed in with an empty glass and a smile on his face. They all sat up straighter, attempting to appear natural.

"Hey guys," he greeted as he went to put the glass in the sink. "Whats up? What were you all laughing about?"

"Nothing!" they all three rushed to reply in unison. Beast Boy raised a brow.

"Okaaay. So how's the common room coming? Or should I say the ballroom?" he asked with a grin.

"It is coming most splendidly," Starfire supplied, voice higher than she intended it to be. The silence that followed hung awkwardly in the air.

"Right. So what have you been up to?" he asked, this time addressing Robin.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Hunting down Slade, trying to book a band." Robin stared down into his soda can.

Beast Boy opened his mouth like he was about to say something, then closed it. "Well, uh, good luck with that." His task in the kitchen complete, he turned towards the door to leave. Before he made it he stopped and looked back at Starfire.

"Oh, Cyborg, can I borrow the T-car again?"

Starfire turned to look at her friend who would undoubtedly be displeased by the request. To her shock, a large smile spread across his face.

"Sure, B. Just don't get any scratches on my baby." He gave him an intimidating look

"Thanks. Also, can I talk to you for a minute Starfire? I, um, have a question to ask. In private," he specified, catching Robin and Cyborg's interested glances.

"As you wish," she said hesitantly. She rose from the table and deposited her empty bag in the trash. As she followed Beast Boy out, she turned back to sneak a look at her friends. Robin sat there with his eyebrows raised. Cyborg pointed at Beast Boy and mouthed "weird." Starfire turned and sighed, bracing herself to comply with Beast Boy's strange request.

* * *

Raven held a hand to her face to shield her eyes from the sunlight. Fortunately, the sensitivity from her hangover was gone. The only remnant from this morning's sickness was a slight fatigue. Whether it was the sleep, Beast Boy's hangover cure, her healing abilities, or a combination of the three, Raven felt immensely better when she opened her eyes the second time today.

As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she took a deep breath of the warm, salty air and dug her toes into the sand. She certainly wouldn't have guessed this as Beast Boy's favorite spot, but now that she was here she could see it was perfect.

The beach was a forty-five minute drive from the Tower and a ten minute walk through the woods, but it was worth it. It was remote and secluded and absolutely pristine, with a stretch of golden sand between cliffs of the Pacific's signature rocky shore. Raven turned to locate her companion and found him right behind her.

She smiled up at him. "It's beautiful. How did you find it?"

"From the sky," he said with a grin. "One day I decided to take a flight up the coast and found this inlet. It's great because almost no one knows it's here. We've got the whole place to ourselves."

Raven's heart beat a little faster. _Stop it_, she commanded herself, _he didn't mean it like that_. Raven didn't know how to feel about their quickly-developing relationship right now. She was kind of going with the flow of things, but honestly she didn't expect things to move so far so quickly. After he left this morning, she cried for a little while. Underneath her happiness at having Beast Boy so close was this horrible pang of sadness and fear about loosing everything in a matter of hours. He was so kind and thoughtful and loving this morning that it brought up the worst sense of guilt. How could she knowingly do this to him? What kind of horrible, selfish person was she?

As they walked down towards the shore, he caught her eye and gave her a wide grin. He looked so happy and carefree, things Raven desperately wanted to be. But for her, happiness came at a cost. It always had. And there was a greedy voice down inside her that told her she was _dying_; she had a right to be selfish in her last hours.

Raven sighed. She was sick of having this debate. She was doing it again: taking these beautiful moments and marring them with guilt and grief over something that hadn't happened yet. Hadn't she decided to just live in these moments and let things work themselves out later? She wasn't doing very well with that resolution. She took a deep breath, using all of her emotional training to let go of every negative feeling in her body. She basked in the warm air and sunlight, letting it fill her mind with positivity. She looked at Beast Boy and couldn't help but smile at him. He had his attention on where he was walking; Raven took the opportunity to study him.

He walked with confidence, letting his leanly-muscled body carry him effortlessly over the sand. He was clothed in swim trunks and a t-shirt while Raven was in her uniform minus the cape. Right now he carried a cooler in one hand and an old-fashioned wicker picnic basket in the other. He turned towards her.

"Wanna stop here?" he asked, gesturing towards the sand. Raven nodded and spread out the towel she had been carrying. Beast Boy immediately got to work retrieving the contents of the cooler. He pulled out two water bottles, a bottle of soda, and some chilled green tea. From the picnic basket he produced sandwiches, chips, and a bag of M&M's. Raven raised a brow.

"It was what we had," he explained. "Have you seen the new kitchen?"

Raven narrowed her eyes in confusion. "New kitchen?"

"Yeah, Starfire's got the common room all torn up so we moved the kitchen into a spare bedroom. It's all fancy for the caterers to use, but a pain in the ass to find anything in."

"Hmm," Raven replied, reaching for the sandwich marked "turkey." The other was labeled "tofu" and was definitely intended for Beast Boy. "Did you have Cyborg make this for me?" she asked as she took a bite.

"Nope. Made it myself," he announced proudly. Raven tried to keep the food she was chewing in her mouth.

"You... touched meat?" she asked incredulously. She couldn't imagine what would possess him to do that.

"Sure did. I'm trying to keep you and I under the radar, so I had to make it myself. I did use gloves, but hey, it was a good try." Raven was seriously impressed. First he cleaned her puke, then he touched meat for her. Raven hadn't had many boyfriends—okay, she'd never had any boyfriends—but she presumed he was as good as they came.

The chatted a bit as they ate, sticking to casual topics such as what was going on around the Tower. Apparently Raven had missed a lot while she was out. When they finished, Beast Boy stood and reached for the hem of his shirt

Raven considered herself a strong, mature woman who could take care of herself. Yet the minute Beast Boy pulled the shirt over his head and revealed a toned stomach and chest, she swooned like a thirteen-year-old at a Justin Beiber concert. She clamped her teeth together and tried to keep the red out of her cheeks.

"Ready for a swim?" he asked casually, surveying the water. Raven took a minute to compose herself before replying.

"I don't have a swim suit."

Beast Boy looked at her and smiled before kneeling down and pulling a black bundle from the picnic basket. "Don't worry. Star took care of it." He handed her the pile of cloth. "You can change back in the woods."

Raven stood slowly. _Okay, Starfire's packed me a swimsuit_. She ran through the last few swimsuits Starfire had bought and worn. The odds that it would a) fit, and b) cover her adequately were slim to none. But what other option did she have? Sighing, she turned towards the woods. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she called to Beast Boy.

Trudging back to the woods, Raven held the thing out in front of her. She discerned two black triangles held together by strings that she assumed constituted the top. The other piece was another tiny strip of fabric with more strings. _Well_, she thought, trying to console herself, _at least it's black_.

Black or not, when she finally made it behind a tree, stripped out of her uniform, and figured out how the contraption went on, she gawked at the coverage. _No way_, she thought to herself. _No freaking way I'm walking out in front of Beast Boy in this thing_. Raven was a ways from voluptuous, but she had curves. Thanks to this bathing suit, Beast Boy was about to discover that.

Making a mental note to plot revenge against Starfire, Raven relaxed the frown off her face and stepped out from behind the tree. She straightened her posture and began to walk as confidently as she could across the sand. Just because the bathing suit stripped her of her dignity didn't mean she had to show it.

She saw Beast Boy already knee-deep in the water. When he caught sight of her he froze. Raven tried not to flinch. She made it to the shoreline and let the water lap against her toes before she dared to look him in the eyes. Only when she looked, his gaze wasn't directed at hers; it was a little further south.

Raven was sure her cheeks were flaming red at this point, but Beast Boy's attention gave her a slight boost in her confidence. At least he liked what he saw.

When he realized she had caught him staring, he gave her a sheepish look and blushed. He held out his hand.

"Come on out. Water's great!"

Raven obliged, wading out a little further to meet him. He moved back further as well, urging her to follow until he was waist-deep. He was right, the cool water felt fantastic on her flushed skin.

"Hey," he said as she drew close to him. She smirked.

"Hey. I'm surprised. You've been in the water five minutes and you haven't impressed me with your various fish forms."

He grinned. "That's because I'm not in my uniform. The swim trunks are nice, but they'd be floating away and I'd be naked when I went to change back." That sent Raven's mind to a whole other place where it should _not_ have been.

"Oh," was all she managed. He moved a little closer to her. The fluttering in her stomach returned, only this time, she was pretty confident it wasn't because of any nausea.

"I'm surprised you came out in the water. You didn't strike me as a water-loving type."

Raven shrugged and gave him the honest answer. "I'm not. I came out because you were here." She was surprised by her own candidness, and unsure if it was a good idea.

Beast Boy moved in even closer; she could feel his breath on her cheek. "Hmm. Well now that you're here, we'll just have to make this fun."

_Fun_... Raven liked fun. Her head felt light and fuzzy and blissfully happy, especially when Beast Boy closed the gap between their lips.

The kiss started a little heavier than their kisses usually did. Within seconds Beast Boy's tongue had somehow found it's way into her mouth. Theoretically, French Kissing wasn't the least bit appealing to her. In actuality... well, she wasn't complaining.

Beast Boy continued to kiss her, harder, sweeter, and deeper. She felt one arm wrap around her back, the other slide it's way up and down her side. The movement sent shivers through her as heat pooled in her stomach. Raven clutched his shoulders and his neck for support as she pressed herself closer to him. She loved the feeling of his muscled arms wrapped around her, his broad chest pushed against hers.

A large wave crashed against them, ripping Raven away from him. She stumbled to find her footing in the deeper, swirling water.

"Sorry," she said breathlessly, leaning up for more as she re-oriented herself. "The wave—"

"I think we can fix that," he replied in a low voice. There was the heat again...

Before she knew what was happening, Beast Boy picked her up out of the water and held her against him, her legs wrapped around his waist. For once her mouth was now above his. She saw her chance and brought her lips down on his.

As they kissed Raven lost contact with the world around her. She didn't know where they were or what time it was; to her they could have been at this for hours. All that mattered was pulling herself closer to him, kissing him harder, feeling the wave of pleasure from his every touch. She vaguely realized that they were no longer in the water. Beast Boy was walking towards shore, carrying Raven all the way.

When they made it back to the sand he laid her down on the ground. He pulled his lips away and locked eyes with her for a moment, conveying that he was enjoying this as much as she was. Then he was back to kissing her, leaning over her and gently pushing her back into the sand.

The next time they broke apart, gasping for air, he moved down, planting wet, desperate kisses along her neck and collarbone. Raven leaned her head back to give him better access. He pulled away again. Raven was about to say something when she felt his teeth drag across her skin. She gasped, letting chills overtake her. Beast Boy returned his attention to her lips, ravaging them as his hands began to explore her body.

He moved them up and down her side and across her stomach, then lower to her hips and thighs. Raven tried to keep her cool, to stop being so reactive, but her efforts didn't do her much good. Suddenly his hand slid up from her thigh, slowly over her hips and up her side. It inched higher and higher until it stopped just below her bathing suit top. He pulled away from her lips for a moment and looked at her, as if asking for permission.

If Raven was thinking rationally, she might have reacted differently. She might have said that it wasn't a good idea, that they were moving too fast. She might have behaved like a lady. As it was, Raven's thought process was far from rational. She looked up at him intensely.

"Beast Boy," she began, "just touch me."

Beast Boy didn't need to be asked twice. His hand slid up over her breast gently, rubbing, squeezing, and exploring her as he continued to occupy her mouth.

It was common knowledge that sex and its preceding activities were pleasurable. Raven, though inexperienced in this area, knew that much to be true. But what she was feeling now she couldn't of imagined. She felt like her skin was on fire, like her body was floating, like the Earth was shaking.

After a few more seconds of euphoria she realized the ground _was_ shaking.

She leapt upwards, throwing a startled Beast Boy off of her. She looked around at the once pristine Beach in awe.

Rocks tumbled from the cliffs onto the sand, a good portion of which now blew about in the air like they were in a hurricane. Trees in the forest behind them had fallen from the winds which whipped around them. The color drained from Raven's cheeks. _Oops._..

Evidently this was too much for Raven's emotions to handle. As she came down off of her high, the feelings were replaced with those of embarrassment and horror.

"Woah," Beast Boy breathed, looking around at the mess. He looked at her. "Did you do this?"

Raven bit her lip and nodded, hanging her head. "Beast Boy, I so sorry. I couldn't control—"

"Stop," he commanded. She clamped her jaw shut. "While I didn't create a man-made hurricane because of it, I wasn't exactly in control either. I don't know about you, but that right there might have been the best moment of my life." As soon as they were out he seemed a bit embarrassed by the words. Raven smiled softly.

"Um, yeah. Me too," she admitted quietly. Her head was dizzy with what had almost happened. There was a thick, awkward air hanging between them now. Neither knew quite what to say or do.

"So, I think I've had enough of the beach for one day. How about you?" he asked hesitantly.

Raven nodded with relief. "Yes, ready to go home?"

Neither of them said a word the entire car ride home. Beast Boy casually picked up Raven's hand and held it the whole time. Raven smiled as she stared out the window. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was a peaceful one. Raven sighed. No matter what was going to happen, no matter what was coming her way, she couldn't help but feel safe next to Beast Boy. Though she knew it wasn't going to be, he gave her this hope, this feeling that everything was somehow going to be okay. She clung to it like she clung to his hand as they drove back to the Tower.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Robin leaned back in his chair and tucked his hands behind his head. A grin spread across his face. Tonight was the night. Tonight he would finally take down Slade.

The plan was perfect; airtight, really. The last time he tried to trick Slade had been a disaster and he had sworn off of the idea since. But this time was different, mainly because this time it would work.

It started at Jump City Labs. Raven reported that Slade was looking for Terra. If that was what he wanted, then a Biometric Location System allowing the user to find someone anywhere on Earth based on DNA samples and pre-specified attributes would be exactly what he wanted. Robin had no doubt that Slade kept files with Terra's information and DNA samples. After all, he kept similar files on every one of the Titans, though they weren't supposed to know that.

The only problem was that a system like that didn't exist. Which meant the fake that Jump City Labs created at Robin's request had to be convincing enough for Slade to go after it. So far, their ruse was convincing enough that even Robin would have fallen for it had he not devised it. As soon as the plan was cleared over at the labs, Robin called up an old contact with ties to Jump City's underground to circulate rumors of the device. Then he had the labs lower the security on some of their less sensitive documents, including one detailing the upcoming transportation of the device to Star Labs in Metropolis. Just as he expected, their system was breached and the document was compromised. Robin got the call this morning. He was willing to bet that the culprit was Slade himself.

The final phase of the operation went down tonight, when the system would leave the lab in an armored car on it's way to the airport. If Robin were Slade, that's when he would strike. Unfortunately for Slade, Robin would be driving the car. In fact, he would be the only one; he was all that was necessary for the protection of a fake system. This time, when Slade showed up, he wasn't getting away.

Robin was surprised to hear a knock at the door. Usually when he holed up in his "office" the others let him be. He hopped up from the chair and opened the door to a giddy-looking Cyborg.

"Hey," he greeted lightly. "Do you need something?"

"The musicians are here to set up. Thought I'd come and get you to oversee it," he explained in a rush.

Robin took a few steps back to close his laptop, then moved past Cyborg into the hall. "And?" he asked with one brow raised.

"There's a GPS tracking system in the T-car," he said with a grin.

"To spy on Beast Boy," Robin replied flatly.

"I wouldn't call it spying, more like... checking up on him." Cyborg reasoned.

Well, that made sense as to why he so willingly lent Beast Boy the T-car this morning. As they approached the common room Cyborg gave a warning.

"Get ready man, this place looks totally different."

He wasn't exaggerating. When the doors slid open, Robin stopped in his tracks with his jaw hanging open.

Their common room was gone. The floor was now one expanse of hardwood flooring that stretched from one side of the room to the other, covering the lower level that used to be their living space. On each side of the room was a row of four gleaming faux-marble columns with sheer white valences hanging between them. These were placed a few feet out from the walls, which were now covered in some kind of light purple reflective texture so that they sparkled like raw crystal. Scattered around the edge of the room so as to leave space for the dance floor were tables and chairs covered in white linen. Between the columns on the left side were tables that he presumed were for the food; on the right was a platform meant to be a stage in the center and two shorter platforms for the orchestra on either side.

Robin blinked as he took in all the changes. Then he looked up and discovered the most remarkable aspect of the entire set-up. The entire ceiling was covered with dripping strands of dark purple wisteria flowers. Sporadically hung amongst them were tiny glasses with tea-lights that fell at various lengths like the strands of flowers did. They weren't lit yet, but Robin could only imagine the glow they would give if they were.

"Robin!" Starfire's cheery voice rang across the room. She quickly flew over to where the two boys were standing. "What do you think of the decorations thus far? They are not finished, but very nearly complete," she reported with pride.

"They're, um... it's incredible Star." Robin never imagined that the room could transform like it did.

"Many thanks friend!" she beamed.

Robin stared at her. Her carefree energy washed over him, helping ease some of the tension plaguing him since Slade's return. Cyborg had meandered off to answer someone's question. He thought of the idea he had toyed with earlier, figuring now was as good a time as any to ask.

"Starfire, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if—"

"Hey Starfire!" Cyborg called, moving to rejoin them in conversation. "What did BB talk to you about this morning?"

Starfire turned to him and blinked. _Damn it_. Robin threw daggers at Cyborg for interrupting the moment, but they were lost on him. He was too absorbed in Starfire's answer.

She looked a little conflicted at first, as if she was torn between keeping Beast Boy's confidence and helping her friends to unearth his secrets. Finally, she gave in and told them. "He requested a suit of bathing of mine to borrow for the afternoon."

Cyborg let out a snort. "Uh, what does BB want with a girl's swimsuit?"

Starfire lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "He did not say. Although I would make the guess that he is putting it on a girl so she may partake in water-based activities."

"And what girl would that be?" Cyborg asked with amusement.

"Perhaps his girlfriend. Beast Boy has had many in the past, no?" The suggestion sat in Robin's head for a minute. It was true, Beast Boy had had a few flings with girls he had met out on the town. It wasn't completely inconceivable that he had found another.

Cyborg huffed in frustration, clearly offended at the idea that Beast Boy had a girlfriend and he didn't know about it. "Hey, why don't we have a movie night tonight and interroga—I mean ask him about it?"

Starfire was quick to respond. "I would most enjoy a night of movies, but I still have much work to do here," she said with a pout. "You will have to enjoy your movie without me." Cyborg looked at Robin.

"Count me out too. I've, uh, got some work to catch up on before tomorrow." Cyborg didn't seem pleased.

"Perhaps you could ask Raven to join you?" Starfire suggested. Robin figured he should step in and explain this one.

"Uh, Star, Raven's not exactly the kind of person you want to talk about feelings with." He tried to phrase that as delicately and non-offensively as possible.

"Yeah, I doubt B's gonna start talking about his girlfriend with Raven around. Looks like it's just me and him tonight. Wish me luck," he said with a look of determination.

Robin waited until Cyborg had left them to pick up where he left off earlier. "So, Star, like I was saying earlier, about the gala..."

"Yes?"

"Well, I was wondering if, maybe, you would like to, um, go with me."

Starfire looked confused. "It is customary for a man to bring a female date to such an occasion, no? I had thought that we were already going together. What other female would you be inclined to take?"

Robin couldn't help but grin. It was moments like this that he wanted to forget about the past and just kiss her. "No Starfire, you're the only one I can think of." He gave her a warm smile and she beamed back at him.

"Most wonderful! You may pick me up outside of my door at 6:30. I am very pleased to be attending the gala with you Robin." One of the volunteers stood at her side with a question. "I must go now friend, but I will see you tomorrow!"

Robin smiled as she walked away. _Well, that was easy_.

* * *

Raven let the warm water from the shower head wash away the sand that clung to her skin. She wasn't even on the beach for that long but she still found granules of the stuff in places it shouldn't be. It was funny how she didn't notice it at all until coming here to take a shower. She blushed; actually, it wasn't that funny, it was quite understandable considering the circumstances. She was fairly distracted.

Her whole body still felt a little giddy from her earlier venture and she was pretty sure she'd be blushing for the next week after that. She couldn't believe that she... that she and Beast Boy...

_Stop it_, she commanded herself. She had to stop acting like a teenage girl. She was twenty years old for God's sake, these kind of _experiences_ were socially considered overdue. Confident in her cleanliness, she turned the water off and began to dry herself with a clean white towel.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Raven knew it was locked, but she couldn't help reflexively wrapping the towel around herself. "What?" she called hesitantly.

"Raven?" It was Beast Boy's voice.

"Yes."

"Good. I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing?"

What did he think she was doing? She was in the bathroom. "I just got out of the shower," she replied curtly.

"Oh." He seemed momentarily at a loss for words. Raven couldn't help but smirk. "So, um, Cyborg asked me to watch a movie with him tonight and I think I kinda have to. I think he knows something's up with us." Raven silently processed the information with a frown. "Anyway, I guess that means I'll be a little busy tonight. I might not see you again until tomorrow." Raven still didn't respond, but hastily shimmied into her leotard. Beast Boy continued talking.

"I'm sorry, you probably didn't need to know that. You probably didn't want to know that. I just thought I would um, come by and tell you though. Just in case you were looking for me. I'm gonna leave now," he rushed. Raven quickly moved to open the door. It slid open to reveal a surprised looking Beast Boy.

She didn't say a word. She just took a few steps into the hallway and pressed her lips into his. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him, placing her hands on his chest. They pulled apart for a moment but brought their lips together a second time. When they were done she looked up into his eyes and smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said softly. She took a few steps backwards until she was in the bathroom once more. Still smiling, she let the door slide closed.

"Yeah," she heard him say unsteadily. "See you tomorrow." Raven bit her lip in a grin as she turned to the mirror to finish getting ready.

* * *

As the common room was otherwise occupied, Beast Boy and Cyborg had set up camp in the room that housed the Titan's mainframe. While it really wasn't meant for recreational purposes, it was perfectly capable of functioning as an entertainment center until the whole party thing was over with. Cyborg had even dragged in the crescent-shaped couch. Beast Boy sat stiffly at one end, trying to pre-conceive some conversation topics that didn't involve himself and Raven before Cyborg returned with the popcorn. He had a considerable list by the time the door slid open to admit his friend.

Unfortunately, Cyborg wasn't interested.

"Hey Cy," Beast Boy called casually with a grin. "What's up?" Cyborg didn't answer. He set down the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and turned towards Beast Boy with an inquisitive stare. Beast Boy's smile faded.

"'Whats up?' You're asking what's up with me? Man, what's up with you? First you're disappearing all the time, then you ask to borrow the T-car, _twice_, then Starfire told me you borrowed a bikini from her. Mind telling me what that one's about?" Beast Boy blushed at the mention of the bathing suit.

"Well, um..." he realized his mistake. While he was thinking up conversation topics he should have been thinking of an alibi. "It's funny you ask actually, because, uh—"

"Save it."

Beast Boy was startled. "Save what?"

"That BS answer you're thinking up right now." Cyborg's face relaxed. "Dude, I thought you and me were tight. What secret are you trying to keep? Starfire thinks you have a girlfriend," he suggested with a snort.

_Oh, if only he knew the truth_, Beast Boy sighed. He had to give Starfire some credit; she was more intuitive than he had thought. The more Beast Boy thought about it though, he realized her spot on guess might just be the way to divert Cyborg from the truth. He let out a big, dramatic sigh before speaking.

"I'm sorry Cy, I wanted to tell you but she didn't want anyone to find out we were dating."

"I knew it!" Cyborg shouted, pleased to have finally discovered the truth. Or so he thought. Beast Boy felt a little guilty for lying to him, but it didn't come close to outweighing the consequences Raven would have in store for him if he exposed their relationship. "So, who is she? What's her name? Where did you meet her?"

Beast Boy grinned. This plan was working too easily. "Her name is Rachel, we met at this place called Ree's, and she's a... a humanitarian," he decided on. Cyborg raised a brow.

"A humanitarian?" Beast Boy nodded confidently. "So what's she like?"

"She's smart, she's a little shy, but she's really nice once you get to know her," he rambled on. "And she's beautiful."

"Tall and blonde?" Cyborg asked with a knowing grin. That was his usual type.

"Nope. Short with long black hair."

Cyborg looked impressed. "Well I'll be damned. She doesn't sound like your type at all. How did you get to date a girl like that?" he teased.

"Ha ha," he responded flatly. "The truth is I still really don't know how." That was for sure. Every minute of the day he wondered what alternate universe he got sent to where Raven was his beautiful, affectionate, incredible girlfriend.

Cyborg studied him. "You really like her, don't you?" he asked with a grin. "When are we gonna meet her? Is she coming to the party tomorrow?"

"No, she's not." He tried to feign disappointment. "You'll meet her someday." He hoped it was true. Beast Boy was already over lying to his friends. It was worth it for _her_, but he still preferred that they come out and tell them what's been happening.

"Well, it better be someday soon. I want to see what kind of girl's got you looking like a lovestruck puppy." He took a big handful of the popcorn and threw it in his mouth, returning his attention to the movie. "Now, are we watching Fast and Furious 6 or 21 Jump Street?"

With all of the insanity going on around here lately, it was nice to kick back with his best friend like everything was normal. Beast Boy grinned. "Surprise me."

* * *

The streets in this part of town were barren this late at night. The moon was neatly tucked away under a thick cloud cover, flickering yellow streetlights offering the only illumination. The wind was warm and blew heavily; Robin expected a storm within the hour.

He sat perched on top of a roof across the street from the lab, surveying the premises for any suspicious activity. Just because he assumed Slade would strike when the truck left didn't mean he could let his guard down now. Any minute now he would have to move inside and take his place behind the wheel of the truck. Robin's body tingled with excitement. This experience was as nerve-racking as it was thrilling.

Robin ran over the route to the airport once more. He was taking the long way through back streets, giving Slade plenty of opportunity to strike discreetly.

His communicator beeped softly, signaling that it was time to move. Robin made his was stealthily across the rooftop and, with the assistance of a birdarang cable, dropped into the neighboring alley. He proceeded to dress himself in standard attire: a blue zip-up jumpsuit with a matching hat and sunglasses to cover his mask. Underneath the getup was his standard uniform and utility belt, ready for use at a moment's notice.

After throughly surveying the area he walked casually across the street and right through the front doors of the lab.

Though the lobby was dark as was a majority of the building, Robin knew exactly where to go. He followed a few long corridors before he saw a shadow waiting at the end of the hall.

"Dr. Redding," he greeted his contact with a nod. The middle-aged man returned his nod silently before swiping a key card beside the door in front of them. He held it open for Robin to pass through.

After another round of navigating maze-like hallways, the two arrived at an industrial-sized double door. On the other side was the garage, where Robin's truck and phony tech waited.

"Doctor, thank you again for your help. It's imperative that this madman is made to pay for his crimes, and you're helping put him behind bars." The doctor, a man of few words, simply held up a hand.

"We owe you a debt we can never repay. Please, feel free to call with anything else you need." At that he slid the card in another reader and the doors clicked unlocked. Robin pressed hard against the massive door and it swung open.

Robin's eyes immediately landed on the truck as he started moving towards it. It was perfectly sized and so painfully conspicuous despite its attempts to appear normal. Robin moved across the expansive concrete garage floor and opened the truck's cab door. A technician tossed up the keys as he climbed in. He got himself settled and buckled in before he turned the key, letting the engine grumble to life.

He turned and found the doctor waiting at a small control panel on the wall. Robin gave him a solemn nod, which he returned. After entering a numerical sequence, he pressed the large green button to open the garage door to the outside world.

Robin was hyper-aware of everything going on around him as the door finished its ascent and he pulled the truck onto the street. He groaned as it lurched a little. _Maybe I should have paid better attention when Cyborg was teaching me how to drive a stick_. It was too late now. He coasted along the road at thirty miles an hour, moving plenty slowly if Slade wanted to try anything.

He turned from one street to the next, keeping a vigilant watch of his surroundings. As time passed and he drew closer and closer to the airport, Robin grew frustrated.

_This was supposed to work_, he chided himself. _Everything was perfect. He couldn't have sensed something was up. I wouldn't have sensed something was up_. What did he need, a neon sign saying "steal tech here?" After all, someone did hack the system and steal the delivery details. Who besides Slade would be capable of doing that? As soon as he thought it a list of other names ran through his mind. Okay, who besides Slade would want to do that? _It didn't narrow the list down any. Damn it, if this truck gets intercepted by someone like the Hive Five..._

Through his mental lament he almost missed the Slade-bot that dropped out of nowhere to the middle of the road.

Adrenaline coursed through Robin as he swerved to avoid the thing, bringing the truck to a grinding halt. He tried to hide the grin from his face. _Lights, camera_...

"Action," he whispered, throwing the cab door open. He stumbled out as would any confused driver and watched as more Slade-bots came to surround the car. There must have been fifty of them, but it didn't matter if there were fifty or 500. Robin only had eyes for one person, who at the moment moved slowly from the shadows of an adjacent alleyway.

He walked with pomp and arrogance, clearly thinking this would be his easiest raid yet. Robin tried to keep his head down to both preserve his identity and keep his excitement at finally getting this close to his nemesis at bay. Then, a single word from Slade shattered every bit of confidence he had.

"Robin," he drawled in his chilling voice. Robin's jaw fell slack in shock. _How? How could he have known?_ He tried to piece together the answer as his heart hammered in his chest.

"Ahh, I see you thought you had the upper hand. I do regret having to prove you otherwise, but I was truly impressed by your charade. I had to wonder, why go to all of the trouble, Robin? What is it you so desperately want from me?" Robin drew in a breath. It didn't matter that he had lost the element of surprise. Slade was here, not even fifteen feet in front of him, and he was using this opportunity to take him down.

He ripped off his hat and sunglasses. "Slade," he ground out. "You're Jump City's most wanted criminal. You've endangered thousands of people, stolen priceless technology, and hurt my team more times than I can count. You really have to ask what I want from you?" he questioned menacingly. "I want you to pay for what you've done."

Slade merely chuckled. "My boy, trust me when I say that that's the last thing you want." Robin clenched his jaw. Why did he have to be so damn cryptic?

"What are you planning Slade?" he asked in a voice of annoyance, like he was tired of asking this same question over and over again and never really getting an answer.

"Me?" he replied with a slight feigned innocence. "I'm not the one planning anything. In fact Robin, we're both fighting for the same cause, you just don't know it yet." He said it with this low, amused tone. Robin ground his teeth together harder. _He must really be enjoying this._

Robin, on the other hand, was not. He pulled out his bo-staff and gave it a threatening spin. "I'm sick of playing games with you Slade. What are you talking about? What do you want with Terra?"

His adversary seemed genuinely surprised by this question. "Terra?" he asked with mild amusement. "Who said anything about Terra?"

Robin's heart seemed to stop. He couldn't trust Slade as far as he could throw him, but the way he spoke... there was only one conclusion to arrive at. Raven had lied.

Slade seemed to pick up on his unsteadiness. "Robin, you're like a dog chasing its tail. Your attempts at figuring out my plan are futile Robin. You simply can't win."

Robin's lips turned up in the corner. "Maybe not, but I can try."

He launched towards Slade, twirling his staff with all of the pent-up anger, frustration, and fear that Slade had evoked for the past week. For the past few years, really. Before Robin could strike, he was intercepted by a few of the Slade-bots. He grinned a wild, almost blood-thirsty smile. _Bring it on._

Robin fought with a passion and a skill level he hadn't had to exhibit in a long time. He bashed the robots into their mechanical parts with deft kicks and strikes. Soon sweat poured down his forehead and his body ached from exertion, but Robin didn't even notice. The truth was that he was loving every second of it.

Slade seemed to see his window of opportunity to leave while Robin was distracted. Under the cover of his robotic minions, he made for the back of the truck. Evading a blow from one of the machines, Robin pursued him. He rolled a gold metal ball from his belt behind him and ducked around the corner of the truck just in time before it detonated. That should take care of the rest of them, he thought, turning his full attention on the man in front of him.

Slade stood tall and confident with his arms across his chest, as if daring Robin to strike. Without any words, Robin obliged.

In the blink of an eye Slade's staff was drawn and expertly positioned to block Robin's blow. That was fine with Robin; he had plenty more where that came from.

Slade fought with his usual cunning, utilizing the landscape around them to try and gain the upper hand. Years ago, he and Robin were perfect matches, able to fight one another for hours without the other yielding. Now, Robin had more experience. And in this situation it showed. Robin continued to clash staffs with Slade, metal clinking harshly and echoing through the deserted street until he found his opening.

He struck with all his strength, sending a forceful blow into Slade's side. He didn't give him any time to recover before he was back at it again, striking his legs, his arms, his back, his chest, anything that wasn't guarded when Robin moved to attack. With one final blow to the chest, Robin sent his foe flying across the street.

Like the seasoned professional he was, Robin never took his focus off of Slade. Even in his vulnerable position, he could still pose a threat. Robin held the end of this staff against Slade's neck as he reached down to pull of his mask.

When the metal slid away, Robin wanted to plunge the staff through Slade's neck. There was no face to greet him. Of course there wasn't. All that was there was a black computer screen that came slowly flickering to life.

"Very impressive Robin," the image of Slade on the screen congratulated him. "I would have bet another minute before you got the upper hand."

Robin didn't trust himself to speak. He just stared at the screen and tried to keep from screaming in his boiling anger.

"Since you've done so well, I'll make you a deal. You worry about your little party, and I'll take care of the Church of Blood. Sound fair?"

Robin's eyes grew wide. Church of Blood? He had never heard that term in his life.

"What are you talking about Slade? Tell me what you're planning!" he shouted at the screen.

"All in good time Robin. Oh, and tell Raven happy birthday." The screen went blank.

Robin clenched his jaw. He stood up slowly from his kneeling position, never moving the staff from the robot's throat. When he reached his full height, he thrust down, severing it's head in a fit of sparks.

He looked around him at the battered truck, the lifeless mechanical bodies strewn around the street. It was all a waste. Everything he had done was for nothing.

Robin looked up towards the sky and let out a cry of anguish. It was drown in a clap of thunder from the storm rolling in.

* * *

AN: FYI the next chapters all take place on the day of the gala, so I'm going to post them all at once so as not to break up the suspense. Therefore it may take a little longer for me to update. Sorry. :(

Also, you people are the most wonderful readers ever. I love you all!

XOXO Gwen


	27. Chapter 27

AN: No, this is not the conclusion to Part 2 that I promised. These couple of chapters are coming along so painfully slow that I felt bad to keep you hanging for that long. Here's a few chapters to tide you over until the good stuff comes!

XOXO Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Raven awoke groggily, though as soon as she realized what day it was she was wide awake. She stared at the ceiling with a mixture of trepidation, overwhelming sadness, and strangely enough, a bit of excitement. Today was the day. Her last on earth.

Before she could ruminate on it for long there was a knock at her door. She smiled, knowing who it was.

She slipped out of bed quietly and snatched the hand mirror from her dresser, slicking a few unruly strands of purple hair into submission. She crept over to the door nervously and put a smile on her face as she unlocked the door and let it slide open.

"Good morning," she said softly. To say she was surprised to see Starfire on the other side was an understatement.

"Good morning friend!" she sang in return, wrapping her in a hug that left Raven reeling.

"Oh, uh, Starfire." She tried to blink away the startled and embarrassed look on her face.

"Yes friend! I come bearing the warmest wishes of happiness on this day of your birth!" The girl beamed at her with her typical warmth, intensified by her excitement over the day. "I thought we might share our morning meal in the new room of cooking," she suggested brightly.

"Um, sure." Raven replied, moving to grab her cloak and fasten it in its place.

"Glorious!" Starfire floated through the hallway like a mermaid through the sea, dipping and diving in sheer joy. It brought a smile to Raven's face. Starfire did that to you. "Come, it is this way," she explained, yanking Raven's arm and dragging her down another hallway.

Raven recognized the room; it was one of the many spare bedrooms in the tower in case they had a guest or an honorary Titan in town. She was not expecting the door to slide open and reveal her own surprise party.

"Happy birthday!" her friends chorused as Starfire giggled from behind her. The room, now outfitted to function as a kitchen, was covered in streamers, a banner, and an array of breakfast goodies. Raven stood there in shock, a blank expression spread across her face. She shook it off as her friends cheers died down.

"Uh, thank you," she replied, moving inside to join the others.

"We knew this whole party thing tonight wasn't really your style, so we decided to have a little party of our own," Cyborg elaborated with a grin. "We've got waffles!"

Raven snorted and rolled her eyes as Cyborg and Beast Boy raced to fill themselves and Raven a plate of steaming hot breakfast foods.

"Happy birthday Raven." Robin's voice was suddenly beside her. She turned to him and gave a small smile in thanks. "I know you're not looking forward to tonight, but I promise you everything will be fine."

Raven clenched her teeth together. "Yeah," she said weakly. She got a better look at his face as they talked. He looked exhausted and worn, and he sounded it to. "Are you alright?"

He nodded solemnly. "I will be. Don't worry about me though, it's your birthday."

Beast Boy came up and handed her a plate of waffles with a subtle wink. "Good morning Raven."

"Good morning Beast Boy." Simple words, depths of meaning.

"Alright, let's get this party started!" They all turned to Cyborg, who held a remote control and a precariously-balanced pile of presents in his arms. With a press of a button upbeat music filled the room. Starfire squealed and ushered Raven over to a chair. The others took their seats or stood around her to watch.

"You got me gifts?" she asked wryly. "Didn't you get the memo that you were supposed to make a donation?"

They all laughed. Raven looked around the table at her friends. Her family. She bit down on her lip and tried to keep herself together. _Don't cry_, she commanded herself, _don't you dare cry in front of them_. By some miracle she managed to keep the liquid in her eyes.

"Here, this is from me," Robin said, handing her a neatly-wrapped package. She gently removed the paper and opened the box inside to reveal Bose noise canceling headphones. She smirked.

"I thought they would help you meditate. Or you can just put them on whenever Beast Boy's around," he explained. Beast Boy made a noise of contempt while Raven tried to keep a straight face.

"Thank you Robin," she replied, giving him a sincere smile. Before she had time to set Robin's gift aside, another was shoved before her, this one wrapped in blue and silver. Cyborg beamed at her from across the table.

Underneath the paper was a box, which Raven opened to reveal several tissue-paper wrapped items. She was just about to comment on the excessive amount of covering when she finally discovered what was inside. The largest bundle was a beautiful, antique silver tea kettle; the others were matching cups, saucers, and spoons. She was mesmerized by their delicacy.

"Cyborg, they're beautiful," she breathed. He gave her a proud smile, like he knew she would love them.

"I saw that you're old ones were a little run-down, so I thought I'd get you an upgrade," he explained.

"That was very thoughtful, thank you." Raven didn't want to open her next gift, she simply wanted to bask in this feeling of warmth and celebration forever. Before she knew it though, she was pulled out of her chair and into one of Starfire's constricting hugs.

"Starfire," she gasped, "what are you—"

"My dearest friend, I have put much thought into selecting a gift that will be both beneficial and most enjoyable for us both," she said as she set Raven down. Raven didn't like where this was going. "So I have arranged a day at the spa for us both on this afternoon!" she exclaimed with enthusiasm. "We will do the hanging out and prepare ourselves for this evening's festivities!"

Raven tried to keep her initial reaction suppressed. _A spa?_ How could Starfire think that Raven and a _spa_ would be "enjoyable?" But when she looked at Star's delighted expression she couldn't help giving in. There was something about disappointing Starfire that just seemed criminal. She tried her best to mold her lips into a smile.

"That sounds... fun. Thank you Starfire," she said as the boys snickered. Starfire seemed oblivious to the truth all four of them knew: Raven would not be having anything close to fun during their little spa date. She sighed. She would just have to suck it up.

Her brain registered that there was only one person who hadn't presented their gift: Beast Boy. Raven honestly didn't know what to expect from him. Beast Boy generally wasn't the best gift giver as he usually lost track of time and was running around frantically trying to find something at the last minute. Raven had witnessed this first hand at Robin's last birthday. On the other hand, he was technically her boyfriend now, which by society's standards meant he had to step up his game. She was interested to see how this would play out.

Beast Boy handed her a flat rectangular package from across the table. As she took it their hands brushed and she had to try to keep her cool facade in front of the others. Letting her hair fall around her face, she slowly tore the paper off of the gift.

Raven stared at it for a few moments before looking up at Beast Boy. Cyborg immediately started laughing, though unlike Robin he didn't even know the extent to which it was funny.

Underneath the paper was a book: _Cooking for Dummies, 4__th__ edition_.

_Well, I didn't see that coming_. In truth she was a little disappointed. She shouldn't have been considering Beast Boy's history, but she was. She didn't expect anything overly sentimental, but maybe something a _little_ more romantic.

When she caught his eye he winked at her playfully, then gave a very pointed look at the book. She reached down subtly and opened the cover. Inside was a message.

_Your real gift is coming later. Happy Birthday Raven._

_Love, Beast Boy_

_Oh_. Raven's heart instantly picked up at the prospect that there very well may be a sentimental gift. She tried to quell the blush that she could feel spreading across her cheeks. She instinctively reached back and pulled up her hood.

"Hilarious," she quipped at him, tossing the book aside casually.

"Now that we are finished with the presentation of gifts, may we now partake with the traditional song of happy birthday wishes and cake?" Starfire asked eagerly.

"I've got the cake if y'all are ready to sing!" Cyborg shouted as he leapt from his chair and towards the counter. His signature rainbow-colored seven layer cake sat in the center of the food spread.

Raven prepared herself. The cake would be tasty. The singing was a different story. They sang Happy Birthday at least five times a year and yet it never sounded any better. She supposed she shouldn't judge, as she wasn't exactly a decent singer herself, but that considered she would expect they would just stop trying. As they began to belt the familiar tune, she realized that would (unfortunately) never be the case.

After their perilous rendition was finished to a round of cheers and applause in Raven's honor, Cyborg lit the candles on the cake.

"Alright Raven, time to make a wish," Robin instructed her.

Raven clenched her jaw. A wish. What was she supposed to wish for? She looked around at her friends smiling happy faces and it came to her. She closed her eyes and leaned in towards the twenty one glowing little flames.

_I wish that my friends will always be happy. I wish that they will forgive me for what I have to do, and know that I only did it to protect them. I wish that they will always remember me, and never forget the friendship we had. But I hope that they move forward with their lives, and never live in the past._

_I wish for Starfire's sake that Robin learns to relax, and realizes how much more she means to him than being a hero does. I hope that Cyborg finds his own path in life, and learns to lead with all of the strength and humility he's capable of. I wish that Beast Boy... I wish that Beast Boy moves on. I wish he finds a girl who can give him the warmth and affection that he deserves, someone who gives him the love I won't be able to. _

_I wish all the best for them, so that my sacrifice will never be in vain._

She opened her eyes and released a strong breath of air, blowing out the flames to another round of cheers.

She was glad her hood was still up, as it covered the tear that slid down her cheek.

_Happy Birthday_.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Raven fidgeted as the woman scrubbed at her feet with some kind of metal contraption. She had been here for four hours already and, according to the technicians, wasn't anywhere near done yet. Raven was tired, irritable, and still in pain from some of the earlier treatments. She never thought something like this would happen to her, yet here she was, somewhat willingly subjecting herself to a day at the spa. Ironically enough, she had never felt so unattractive.

Raven had obviously never been to a spa before, but her expectation was that they would slap some makeup on her face, dump a can of hairspray on her hair, ooh and aah over how gorgeous Starfire was, and perhaps paint their nails. She was not expecting to be scrubbed with salt, wrapped in seaweed, waxed, dipped in mud, subjected to a facial, and left to roast under a space helmet with her hair wrapped in foil. They women looked at her appraisingly, making comment such as, "I've never seen such unkempt nails on a woman before. We'll have to use acrylics," and "is your hair naturally that... _purple_?" Raven wouldn't consider herself beautiful, but with all these treatments and talk about what work needed to be done, she felt downright ugly.

She was currently sitting in a cushy chair with one foot in a swirling foot bath and the other at the mercy of her pedicurist. At least for this treatment she was sitting next to Starfire. She had been on her own for the others.

Starfire let out a sigh, relaxing into the chair while she enjoyed the process. Raven on the other hand felt like she was getting the bottom of her foot scraped off. She twitched around as the motion felt one part ticklish and one part painful.

"Sorry," the woman working on her foot apologized, "you just have, um, a lot of dead skin on your feet."

"That is because friend Raven does not care for her feet properly," Starfire explained from next door. Raven shot her a look, though she continued to talk. "I have repeatedly implored her to partake in the painting of the toenails and other female earthly customs but she always declines."

"I wonder why," Raven ground out as the woman moved from the ball of her foot to her heel.

"It's less of a big deal if you get it done regularly," Starfire's pedicurist suggested. "See? Your friend here is all done!" Raven snuck a peek at Starfire's toes, which were perfectly polished and painted a simple light pink that offset her golden skin perfectly. "Ready for your manicure Miss Starfire?"

She hesitated. "May I stay with my friend for a while longer? There is something I wish to discuss with her." _Uh-oh_.

"Of course, in fact you're already ahead of schedule!" the woman beamed. "I'll give you two a while and then I'll be back."

Starfire's attention turned immediately to Raven after the woman waltzed off. "Friend, I believe you will look most beautiful after we are done."

"Um thanks," Raven responded, not knowing where this was headed.

Starfire continued to stare her down. "Are you not excited to look pleasant at the celebration? Many people will be in attendance." Raven raised a brow. "Many _boys_ will be in attendance."

_Ahh, that's what this is about_, Raven thought with a sigh. Now that Starfire had experienced the joys of dating she wanted Raven to experience the same happiness. As of late she constantly hinted at the idea and Raven constantly shot it down. Now that she actually had a boyfriend, she could better understand and appreciate where her friend was coming from.

"Starfire, I don't need to be looking for a boyfriend," she said simply, hoping to end the conversation.

"Oh," she piped quietly. She was silent for a moment. "Perhaps this is because you already have one?"

Raven's eyes flew wide and she gripped the arms of the chair. "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Judging by your reaction I can conclude that my assumption was correct," she stated matter-of-factly with her head tilted to the side. Raven sat with her mouth open, searching for something to say. She turned to stare very intently at her feet as the blush spread across her face.

"May I ask who you are doing to dating with?"

Raven didn't trust herself to speak. _Damn_, she thought with awe, _when did she get so insightful?_ It was hard to believe that this was the same girl who thought taking Raven to the spa would be a good idea.

"Is it, perhaps, friend Beast Boy?" Starfire asked tentatively.

The light overhead burst into a shower of sparks. Raven turned to stare at Starfire head-on, her jaw clenched tight.

"He told you, didn't he?"

"No," she insisted while shaking her head vigorously. "He did not. I merely observed that he had the feelings for you and when you both began acting strangely I surmised you had begun the dating," she explained. Her face brightened. "Oh I am most happy for you both! Tell me, when did you start dating, where have you gone, have you done the kissing yet? Shall you be escorted by Beast Boy to the celebration?" she spilled out in a rush.

Raven blinked a few times, then turned her eyes to the woman still working on her toes. She pretended to be very engaged in what she was doing but looked up when she heard the conversation stop.

"Don't worry ladies, whatever you say stays right here," she assured them when she caught Raven's uncomfortable stare. Raven didn't trust that one bit, but decided it couldn't really hurt to continue their conversation now. She sighed.

"We've been dating for a few days. We've been to a cafe and to the beach. Thanks for the swimsuit by the way." She gave Starfire a glare which the girl shifted hesitantly under and gave a meek shrug.

"No, Beast Boy and I will not be going together tonight. We're trying to keep this a secret, so you can't tell Robin or Cyborg," she ordered firmly. Starfire nodded vigorously.

"You may rest assured friend, as your secret is safe with me!" She perked up. "And have you both shared the traditional kiss to signify mutual attraction?"

It was amazing how she could ask that question so calmly. Raven felt the heat in her cheeks intensify. She had to admit this was her biggest complaint about Starfire. It was true, she didn't understand Earthly customs, and that often led to the most awkward situations. Like the one they were in now.

"I, um, we... yes," she stuttered, finally deciding to just get the truth off her chest. Starfire squealed.

"Wondrous! I am most happy for you!" She reached over and embraced Raven in an awkward side hug. Raven decided it was time to use diversionary tactics.

"And what about you? Has Robin asked you to go to the gala with him yet?" She took the bait easily. Now it was her turn to do the blushing.

"Yes. He asked me yesterday to accompany him, though I had little doubt he would." There was excitement in her eyes, but also a trace of sadness.

"Don't worry Star, he'll come around one day."

"I hope so," she sighed. "When we did the dating before, things did not go well. But now we are older and smarter and there is less crime in the city. I am hoping we may try it once more."

"Starfire," Raven said gently, "things will work out. I promise." After all, I made a wish.

The girl smiled at her, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. In a rare act of affection, Raven covered their joined hands with her other.

"Thank you Starfire."

"For what?"

Raven gave her a deep, meaningful look. "For being my friend."

"Of course." She looked a little perplexed by the gesture, but was thankfully distracted by the return of her nail lady.

"Are you ready for your manicure?" she asked brightly. Starfire nodded and hopped out of her chair. Before she left the room she turned back to Raven.

"Goodbye friend. I shall see you soon!"

Raven smiled as the door closed behind her. "Goodbye Starfire."

* * *

Robin slammed his clenched fists down on the table and let out a grunt. He was tired, he was frustrated, and most of all he was scared. Scared that Slade would try and hurt his friends, scared that innocent people would suffer, and scared that in a few hours, hundreds of Jump City's most prominent citizens would be congregated in their living room. Before last night, Robin had total confidence that the Tower's security system plus the five of them would be able to handle whatever came their way. But after hearing Slade's words, he wasn't so sure. He had mentioned the even for a reason. He had to be planning something.

Robin had spent all of last night and the rest of the morning searching for information on the Church of Blood. The only break he took was to attend Raven's informal breakfast party. He knew his attendance to that wasn't optional. So far his search hadn't produced a single lead.

_It has to be out there somewhere_, he reasoned as he paced along the evidence room. _Slade wouldn't make something up. But what is it?_ It sounded ominous, and if it had anything to do with Slade it had to be bad news. Really bad news. Robin had searched every file and source he had for anything that could be even remotely related. His records were extensive, only eclipsed by one other's.

He stopped abruptly and let out a sigh, knowing what he had to do. He hadn't left Bruce Wayne on good terms, but right now it didn't matter. The safety of his team and possibly all of Jump City was at stake. He rather reluctantly picked up his rarely used cell phone and dialed a familiar yet infrequently called number. Wayne Manor, home of the Batman himself.

It rang a few times before anyone answered. "Wayne Manor, may I help you?" asked Alfred's easily recognizable voice.

Robin smiled. "Alfred. It's me, Robin—er, Dick." The other end of the line was silent for a few moments. Robin frowned.

"Master Dick. It is quite a surprise to hear from you. I would have thought we'd be having this conversation sooner."

Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, sorry Alfred." He hesitated. "It's good to hear your voice."

"And yours as well," he returned, the familiar gentleness returning to his voice. "Now, I'm assuming this isn't a social call."

Robin jumped right into business. "No actually, is Bruce there?"

"I'm afraid he's unavailable at the moment," Alfred replied.

Robin sighed. "Figures."

"Is there something I could assist you with?" Alfred offered. Robin decided that channeling this through Alfred, though it would be taking the easy way out, would eliminate the need for the awkward conversation that would transpire between himself and Bruce, as well as ensure Robin's request was attended to promptly. More importantly, he was running out of time.

"Actually, I could really use some information. Can you have Bruce send me anything he has on something called the Church of Blood?"

"Sounds delightful," Alfred quipped disdainfully. "I'll see to it that Master Bruce follows through with your request as soon as he returns."

Robin felt a little bit better. "Thank you Alfred. I appreciate it."

"Of course. And know that Wayne Manor will always be your home, Master Dick."

Robin didn't know what to say. Whatever falling out he had had with Bruce, it wasn't with Alfred. He felt emotion swell in his chest as he remembered life at Wayne Manor. He made a resolution to call again, or perhaps even visit. "Goodbye Alfred."

"Goodbye Master Dick."

Robin stayed on the line until it went dead. He sighed as he flipped the phone shut. After spending from than twelve unfruitful hours in the evidence room, he was ready for a change of pace. Besides, there was only one thing he could do now that he was waiting on Bruce for a lead. He headed off towards his room to get ready for the night.


	29. Chapter 29

AN: Yes, it's finally here. As usual let me apologize profusely for taking forever to write, but between writer's block, personal matters (I got engaged!), and the fact I had over 13,000 words to write, it took me longer than expected. Please leave a review or two, I'd love to hear your reactions!

Much Love,

Gwen

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Cyborg checked his watch again, growing more concerned by the minute. Starfire told him to pick them up at 4:30. It was now 4:55, yet neither Raven nor Starfire had emerged from the spa. He sat parked under the expansive awning directly in front of the doors, as he had been for the last thirty minutes. He debated what course of action to take.

_Okay, if they're not out in the next five minutes_... suddenly the doors swished open, much to Cyborg's relief. He really didn't want to have to go investigating in a spa. As Starfire and Raven emerged, his eyes grew wide.

Starfire looked gorgeous, but that really wasn't much of a shock. Her hair cascaded down her back in flowing, flaming curls from where the top was pulled back in some complicated, braided pattern. Her skin glowed radiantly and her smokey purplish eyeshadow made her green eyes pop. Cyborg grinned. Robin was a lucky guy.

The real surprise came with Raven. Cyborg followed her every movement as she slid into the backseat of the car, halfway convinced that it wasn't really her. She caught his gaze in the rearview mirror as Starfire slid in beside her and shut the door.

"What?" she ground out.

"Nothing. You just look... different. I mean, different in a good way, in a really good way."

"Thanks," she drawled, a hint of irritation in her voice. Cyborg knew it wasn't directed towards him. He chuckled at her obvious disdain for their trip to beauty land.

"Did you have fun at the spa?" he asked jokingly. Raven shot him a look.

"Oh yes, the afternoon was most enjoyable, was it not?" Starfire gushed, fortunately not waiting for Raven's answer. "I was most pleased with the application of my makeup. They used the most fascinating methods!" She continued to detail the events of the day as Raven looked out the window, entirely uninterested. Cyborg made sure to nod and reply at the right times in Starfire's monologue, though he kept most of his attention on the road. Before long they were back at the tower.

"Now remember Starfire that the party starts at 6:00," he said, looking into the now empty backseat. _What the_... he looked around the garage and just caught a glimpse of Starfire pulling Raven through the door, yammering about something undoubtedly feminine. He smiled as he watched the door close. He felt slightly bad for Raven, as she seemed completely uncomfortable with the girly stuff, but he figured it might do her some good, break her a little further out of her shell.

As he got out of the car he thought ahead to what he had to do within the next hour. He sighed, realizing what came next. "Alright Cyborg, time for the monkey suit."

* * *

Raven sat at Starfire's vanity, studying her reflection in the mirror nervously. Her natural inclination would be to bite her lip, but she had already been chastised by Starfire for messing up her lipstick. Instead she fiddled with one of Starfire's hairbrushes while she listened to the girl talk.

"Do not worry Raven, I have brought your dress here so we might get ready together," she elatedly informed her as she slipped her dress on. "Oh, I am most excited! You must be as well Raven, are you not?"

Raven hesitated with how to respond and Starfire caught it. "Oh, you are nervous as well?" Before she knew it a fully dressed Starfire was standing behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes in the mirror. "Do not worry Raven. You are beautiful. Beast Boy will find you most enchanting." Raven turned her head away to hide her blush.

"Thanks Star, but... it's not Beast Boy I'm worried about." Raven stood and Starfire guided her towards her dress and a fabric partition to change behind that she had procured from who knew where. Taking Starfire's cue, she slipped behind it and began to change.

"I see. You fear that others will judge you."

"No," she began, but stopped herself. "Actually, that's exactly what it is. How am I supposed to handle myself around all of these strangers? What if I screw something up?"

"You will not," Starfire said confidently. At least one of them believed in her social abilities. Raven was only concerned about the other events of this evening, but now that Starfire had brought it up this was a whole other thing to worry about. "Do not forget Raven, we will be there beside you. You are not alone."

Raven shut her eyes for a minute, remembering the last time someone had told her that. She had a flashback to a dark night, a deceitful romance, and those comforting words from her friend. That had been after her affair with Malchior. Suddenly she remembered what she still had to do. She hastily pulled herself into the dress, almost tripping in the process.

"Hey Starfire, can you finish zipping this?" she asked, already searching around for her shoes. Thankfully Starfire approved the same ones she had worn the other night, the ones she could, arguably, walk in.

"Of course," she answered as she rushed to match Raven's pace. "Raven, you look—"

"Yes, thank you," she said, cutting her off. She located the shoes and quickly jammed her foot inside with the help of her powers. Standing a little unsteadily, she turned to Starfire. "Thank you Star, but I need to go for just a minute."

Her bottom lip quivered in disappointment. "But I thought we would do the getting ready together," she said meekly. Raven couldn't help but cave to her pitiful look.

"We will," she assured her. "I promise. I'll be right back." She hurried to the door, feeling a little guilty for leaving Starfire hanging. But this was important. It had to be done.

Raven turned down the hallway and headed back to her room.

* * *

Beast Boy tilted his head to the side, examining the statue. It's glistening red eyes seemed just as deceptively cute as they had in real life. "Stupid bird," he muttered, moving on to examine the rest of Raven's room.

He hadn't meant to break in while she wasn't here. He'd learned his lesson about that a long time ago. But he really needed to find her before the party started and he figured she'd be in here. After a few unanswered knocks at the door, he took the liberty of peeking inside. Seeing as how she wasn't here, he figured it would be wiser to wait than trying to hunt for her within the tower, especially now that guests had started arriving.

He meandered throughout the room impatiently, thoroughly examining it's _unique_ contents. He had to admit that it seemed a little more inviting now that, well, he was actually welcome here. It was dark and strange, sure, but now it seemed to be a little more comfortable. Peaceful, even.

He was glancing at her expansive collection of books when he heard the door slide open. He snapped to attention as he turned to face Raven.

He tried to keep his shock under control. The girl standing at the door was not the Raven he was used to. This girl had skin so pale and flawless and luminous that it seemed to glow in the dim lighting of her room, catching the light from her lamps and reflecting it back like the moon to the sun. She had sultry purple eyes rimmed in smokey black shadow, her face just as ethereally luminescent as the rest of her body. Her violet hair was curled and shaped into a voluminous, glamorous coif that was parted on the side rather than down the middle, her bangs swept up to frame her face. What shocked him the most was the silky black fabric that hugged her torso and flowed out from her waist, creating a gorgeous gown.

She looked divine.

He stood there watching her for a moment, mouth slightly ajar, as she raised a perfectly arched brow at him.

"Can I help you?" Her lip curved up in a smirk.

"I, well, I came, sorry, didn't mean to be creepy." _Wow. I've reached a new level of stupidity_. He gave her a shy smile as he watched her hold in laughter. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"I came to give you your birthday present. I'm sorry that I just barged in but I couldn't exactly wait at your door, you know?" His brain seemed to be slowly adjusting to her, as it now had the ability to form coherent thoughts and sentences.

"Oh. It's fine, I assume you've learned your lesson about touching things?" He could tell she was only half-kidding, and she had a right to be. There were probably some dangerous objects in this room.

"Of course. And now," he said, diverting her attention to an area he felt a little more competent in, "I have a present for you." He moved over to her dresser where he had left the black box.

Raven looked curious as he brought it closer. Beast Boy just hoped she liked it. He was nervous picking it out, knowing that Raven wasn't really a jewelry type, but when he saw this one he was instantly reminded of her. He was saving up for a flat screen TV to put in his bedroom, as Robin had told him such a purchase wasn't in the budget (it never was when _Beast Boy_ wanted something), but Raven was far more important.

He took a few steps closer to her, close enough to smell the perfume she had been sprayed with, and slowly opened the box. Inside was the necklace, a pear-shaped onyx pendant artfully rimmed with diamond accents.

Raven just stood there, completely unmoving. With every second that passed Beast Boy's nerves grew. "Um, I can take it back if you don't like it."

That seemed to snap her out of her trance. She shook her head and stepped forward to lightly touch the pendant. "Beast Boy, it's beautiful. I can't believe... how did you—"

He waved his hand dismissively to cut her off. "Here," he said, removing the piece from its box and circling behind Raven. He looped it around her neck and fastened the clasp, letting his fingers softly brush her shoulders as he did so. He saw the goosebumps that rose on her skin when he did so.

She looked down to study it as it rested on her chest. Beast Boy eyes had started on the pendant, but somehow ended up moving downwards to where the straight square neckline of the dress dipped down and pulled into her chest, showcasing her milky white skin and her, well... assets.

_Eyes up_, he commanded himself. They rose to meet the wide violet eyes of Raven herself. Judging from the crimson on her cheeks, she knew exactly where his eyes had been. _Awkward_.

"Thank you," she said softly as her gaze trailed to the floor shyly. "It's perfect."

Beast Boy smiled, glad he had at least gotten the gift right. "Are you excited for tonight?" he asked, trying to start a conversation.

She made a face. "Not exactly."

He grinned. "Hey, I'll be right there with you. You'll be great. Some smiling and waving, a few dances, a slice of cake and you'll be out of there before you know it."

She had a hazy look in her eyes. "Sounds nice. Though I'll skip the dancing."

"Even with me?" he asked in mock offense.

"Sorry, I don't dance," she said with finality. It was a glimpse of the old, more guarded Raven coming through.

"Don't dance or can't dance?" he teased her. He wasn't letting her off the hook that easily.

She pursed her lips for a moment as if debating what to say. Finally she sighed with the weight of the decision to tell him the truth. "I've never done it before, so I suppose that qualifies as can't."

Not exactly shocking news, but Beast Boy plastered an expression of surprise on his face that garnered a playful eye-roll from Raven. "Well we'll just have to remedy that. Can't have you going to the ball if you don't know how to dance, can we?" Before she could argue he took hold of her arms and swept her into closed position. For the first time in his life he was grateful that Rita had insisted he learned to dance properly.

"Now this is a waltz. You move in a box step to a three count. Just follow my lead." Despite Raven's wide eyes and nervous expression, he began to move, pulling her along with him.

At first her steps were heavy and unsure but as they continued to move around the room she relaxed, letting Beast Boy's natural rhythm and steady hold guide her. Though he knew his hand was supposed to rest underneath her shoulder blade, he let it slowly slide down to the small of her back and pulled her close to him. She looked up at him with her deep, shining eyes and he couldn't resist. They stopped moving entirely as he brought his lips down to hers.

She tasted different this time, or at least her lipstick did. At first she seemed a little hesitant to lean into the kiss, but Beast Boy wasn't having any of that. He used the hand on her back to pull her hard up against him and tangled the other in the hair at the nape of her neck. He parted her lips with his tongue and slipped inside of her mouth.

Even when they had to come up for air he stayed near her, holding her bottom lip between his teeth. Her breathing hitched, enticing him to go further.

He backed her up against her bedroom wall, feeling slightly guilty when he heard her back slam into it. That was until she pulled him towards her, letting him know that she was enjoying this just as much as he was.

As they once again locked lips, he slid the hand at her neck down over her breasts. He moved his mouth from her lips to her neck, kissing the skin there. He let his hand roam over her, taking pleasure in every sigh, moan, and gasp he elicited from her. She was extremely sensitive, which only made it better.

After a minute he dropped to the floor, grabbing hold of the multiple layers of fabric at the hem of her dress.

"Beast Boy, what are you—"

Her question was cut off with a hitch of breath as he moved his hands up her thighs. He could feel her muscles clench under his light touch. His fingers played with the edge of her panties, pulling them out and letting them snap back against her skin. He brought his lips to hers again as he pulled them down.

Raven seemed to melt into his arms. He could feel her shiver against him as he moved his hand lower.

"That's it," he said softly, noting how deep and raspy his voice had become. "These are coming off." With one hand he slid the panties down and with the other slid a finger inside of her.

Hearing her gasp only encouraged him. He stroked her as his lips crashed against hers again. He brought his free hand up to her waist, holding her steady. He could feel a strain in his pants.

"Beast Boy," she moaned. He loved hearing that on her lips. "Beast Boy," she said again, this time more urgent. "My communicator is ringing."

_Great_. Sure enough he heard the faint beep of the device echo through the room as he pulled away from her. He had been too preoccupied to notice. Using her powers, Raven brought it towards her from where she had left it on a shelf.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"Cyborg." He was more than pleased to hear annoyance in her voice at the interruption. The feeling was mutual. _Cockblock_, he directed towards his friend. "I'm sorry, but I better take this."

A grin spread across his lips as an idea came to him. "That's fine, go ahead," he replied casually. Raven attempted to compose herself and flipped the communicator open.

"Raven."

"Rae! At least someone answers me. I've been trying to call Beast Boy for the past half hour!" Raven kept her stony facade perfectly in place as she waited for him to continue. Beast Boy was glad he left his communicator in his room.

"Anyway, the party's started and I'm the only one of us down here. Where are Starfire and Robin? And Beast Boy?" With the mention of his name Beast Boy slid two fingers inside of her, letting her know exactly where he was. He saw her face tighten and her jaw clench, but he had to give her credit: she kept her face damn near stoic considering the circumstances.

"Why would I know? I'm on my way to Starfire's room now. We'll be down in a minute. If I see Beast Boy or Robin I'll send them down as well." With one hand she held the communicator, with the other she gripped Beast Boy's shoulder like she was trying to injure him. She groped around until she found his ear and twisted it. Beast Boy tried hard to keep silent despite the pain. Raven clearly wasn't pleased with his decision to finger her while she was talking to Cyborg.

"Alright." Cyborg hesitated. "Hey Raven, is everything okay?" Beast Boy had to bite back a laugh.

"I'm fine. I'm just nervous," she lied in return, though her voice rose a half an octave. "I'll see you soon."

She flipped the communicator shut and slumped against the wall. "Beast Boy," she gasped. "What is wrong with you?"

He pulled his fingers out of her and smashed his lips against hers one final time. He realized it was time for them to stop, especially with the other Titans on the hunt for him.

"I'll see you later Raven." He turned and walked towards the door, intent on heading towards the bathroom before making his way down to the common room. It was probably best if he cooled himself off before making his entrance to the common room.

"Beast Boy, wait—" he heard her call after him, but he walked out the door and let it slide shut. If it were up to him, he would spend all night in Raven's bedroom. As it was, he needed to be in the common room attending the party, and thus needed to get his head in the game and out of the place it was currently in. Just looking at her made him want to take her here and now, a course of action neither of them were prepared to take.

Though she showed no qualms about the speed their relationship was progressing at, he realized she might regret it if they went any further this quickly. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. _I'm finally with her and there's no way I'm fucking that up_, he thought with resolve.

He shook his head to clear it as he approached the bathroom. The point was getting his mind off Raven, he reminded himself. He had to grin though. That was a hard thing to do. She was irresistible.

* * *

Raven stayed with her back against the wall long after Beast Boy had left. Truthfully she didn't trust her legs to support her without any help. Her mind swam in a pleasant, warm fog, but as reality set in what she and Beast Boy had done, what Beast Boy had done _to_ her, registered fully.

It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed it. _God_, she had enjoyed it. She just couldn't help the feeling that they were doing something wrong. _I mean, here we are, dating a whole three days, and I'm about to give it up_, she thought with horror. But the more she thought about it, the more the idea grew on her. This was her best friend, her boyfriend, whom she trusted with her life. Tonight was the last night she would be with him, or anyone for that matter. She quelled the sting of emotion that surged whenever she thought of that.

Sex was this distant, irrelevant concept that she thought (and often feared) may never happen for her. Her powers were uncontrollable (looking around now, her room was a mess), she was so terribly introverted she thought she would never have a partner, and she was grossly inexperienced. But tonight she had a boyfriend who was clearly willing and a spell that would leave her powerless, which was a good thing in this situation.

_Shit_. Speaking of the potion, she had approximately ten minutes to make it. She pushed herself off the wall, attempting to get her mind off the topic. It was difficult when Beast Boy made her feel the way he did. She bit her lip in a smile as she got to work.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Raven floated a few feet above the floor in the center of the circle, letting the energy from the candles fill her and sharpen her focus. She needed the help after what had transpired between herself and Beast Boy. She called the nearly complete potion towards her with her powers and added the final, distasteful ingredient: horse's blood.

The spell was of dark origins, as was most of what Malchior had taught her. It would effectively render her powerless. It was supposed to be used on an enemy, but Raven assumed there was a first time for everything. She held up the bottle of black liquid, eyeing it disdainfully. She didn't know how it would taste, though considering the ingredients she figured it wouldn't go down easy. She had promised herself she would never use any of Malchior's teachings again but she knew that this was worth the exception.

Raven had never quite forgiven herself for falling for him so easily or for allowing him to endanger her friends. He was cunning, deceptive, and conniving, charming her only to help set him free from the curse that had bound him for thousands of years.

Raven froze with the bottle halfway to her lips. The idea slammed into her head so quickly and forcefully that her brain raced to work through the logistics. She telekinetically called three different spell books to her, pouring over their pages as her plan solidified.

She placed her hand over her mouth as she shook her head disbelievingly.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "It could work."

"Could" being the key word. An effective spell took time, preparation, and focus. She had none of these. But damn it if she wasn't going to give it her best shot.

She glanced at the clock, realizing she was already late to her own party. It didn't matter though. None of it mattered. She quickly brought the bottle to her lips and swallowed the vile fluid in one gulp as she ran through the room collecting the necessary implements. She tossed the bottle aside and turned to a spell book before she felt the burn in her throat.

Raven stopped her frantic activity immediately, bringing a hand to her chest as she hacked. _Okay, downed that a little too quickly_. It stung ten times worse than her first taste of liquor. As she took a second to breathe she fingered the pendant that rested on her chest. Her emotions swelled. She might be able to pull this off, but she couldn't do it alone.

Robin watched as Starfire paced along the floor, distracted by the graceful fluttering of her dress and the long line of her legs.

She looked unbelievably beautiful. Robin just wanted to reach out and hold her, touch every part of her to make sure she was real and make sure she was his. Her only imperfection was she scowl she had spread across her face.

"Starfire, why don't you sit down?" he suggested hesitantly. She had been pacing since he had come to collect her and she pulled him inside to wait.

"It is ten minutes past the hour of six," she huffed resentfully, plopping down beside him on her bed. "I had instructed Raven to arrive very much sooner than this."

Robin furrowed his brow. "Where did she go?"

"To her room."

"And you didn't go there to grab her because...?" he asked lightly.

Starfire bit her lip and twiddled with her thumbs, a faint smile tugging at her lip. "I did not wish to disturb her."

That had him thoroughly confused. "I know Raven's a little touchy about her personal space, but don't you think this is kind of important?" He rose from the bed, ready to put his plan into action.

"Yes, but I did not wish to disturb her because, well—"

Starfire stopped talking as her door slid open and Raven tumbled in, looking more than a little disheveled.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," she spit out as she stood in front of them awkwardly. It was like she had been racing to do something and now suddenly stopped. Her eyes darted around and she shifted uncomfortably. Robin was instantly suspicious. He glanced at Starfire, dumbstruck when he caught her smirking. His eyes danced back and fourth between Raven and Starfire, wondering what strange message was being communicated.

Silently, Starfire stood and guided Raven over to her vanity, uncapping her hairspray and pulling a tissue to blot at her makeup, which evidently wasn't to her satisfaction.

"Am I missing something?" he asked slowly, narrowing his eyes at the pair.

"No."

"Of course not!"

They both rushed to deny any sort of nonverbal knowledge or communication transpiring between them. Robin watched carefully as Starfire applied a coat of lipstick to Raven's pale lips.

"There! Much better!" Starfire beamed at Raven, who surprisingly enough returned it with a small smile of her own.

"Are we ready to go?" Robin asked, checking his watch. Their timing wasn't ideal but it couldn't be helped. He didn't want to stress out Raven any more than he assumed she already was. Though looking at her now, she seemed more distracted than nervous.

"Yes, let us depart!" Starfire boldly slid her hand into the crook of Robin's arm, which he quickly folded to properly escort her. Raven followed a few steps behind them in the hallway.

Despite all of the questions he was eager to ask Starfire, the journey to the common room was a quiet one. He knew better than to ask in front of Raven. Something was weird with her and he had no idea what it was. They had established yesterday that both she and beast boy had been acting strangely, though now it seemed Starfire knew why.

When they reached the common room doors, Starfire stopped and turned back to Raven. "You must stay here until we are ready for you to enter," she instructed.

"How will I know when you're ready?"

"Have no worries friend, you will know." With that she turned and almost dragged Robin to the door. He could hear a protest from Raven behind them but Starfire ignored it. It was drown out when the doors slid open.

The expansive and lavish room was filled with a debonair crowd of gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies in gowns. Their entrance wasn't overly pronounced, but when those around them spotted the two, they stared and smiled and parted to let them move deeper into the room. Starfire moved forward eagerly and soon Robin stumbled forward to match her pace.

"So, are you going to tell me what that was all about?" he asked quietly in her ear as they moved towards the center of the dance floor. They had spotted Beast Boy and Cyborg mingling.

Starfire smiled slyly. "Raven has made me promise not to tell anyone," she said firmly. Robin felt a twinge of disappointment. "But," she continued, " I feel that this is, as you say, 'for her own good.'" She paused to smile warmly at the crowd, which the people around them returned. Starfire's smiles were infectious.

"Well, what is it Star?" he asked eagerly.

Her smile turned into a full-out grin. "Let us simply say that you might wish to purchase hair dye that is pink." She let go of his arm as they approached their teammates in order to greet them.

It took a second for the meaning of her words to sink in, but when they did his jaw dropped.

* * *

Pacing back and forth in front of the common room door, Raven chewed on the inside of her cheek. At least no one could see that. As happy as she was to be on this side of the doors, she knew it wouldn't last for long and that it probably meant they were planning some grand entrance for her. _Great_.

Raven had bigger issues to worry about. While she hadn't forgotten about the gala, she _had_ forgotten to worry about it. As in she was just now remembering that it was going to be a giant pain in the ass and it was going to begin any minute now. Raven played with the gift hung around her neck, admiring its beauty and the thoughtfulness behind it.

She heard the hum of music from inside and the sounds of someone speaking, but she didn't pay much attention to it. Maybe if she had she would have recognized that it was her cue to enter. As it was, when the doors slid open to reveal her she was staring at her chest pensively, looking completely unprepared.

Her hands flew down to her sides stiffly in less than a second. She stared at the crowd's smiling, polite faces with a completely blank expression as she heard a round of cheers and applause. Her mind was as blank as her face was; she had no idea what to do. Was she supposed to walk down the stairs? Make a speech? Wave? Though she knew any of those would be a better option than standing there like an idiot, she couldn't bring her body to move.

The scene before her was overwhelming. The common room didn't even look like the common room; it was entirely transformed. Add to that the hundreds of people before her and she had a situation that knocked the air out of her lungs.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. Before she knew what was happening, Beast Boy was approaching her from one side and Cyborg from another. Seeing their smiling, reassuring faces allowed her to relax a little. Each took one of her hands and looped it through their arms, serving as escorts down the stairs. The crowd gave another round of applause and she heard more than a few "aww"s. Raven wanted to roll her eyes, but instead coaxed her lips into a small smile. _Likable, approachable, pleasant_, she coached herself. Something seemed to be working, as those around them smiled genuinely in return. It had to be the boys on either side of her. She was suddenly immensely grateful for their guidance through the crowd.

"Once again, happy birthday to our hero and friend, Raven of the Teen Titans!" a familiar voice boomed over the speaker system. Raven's eyes scanned the room, looking for its source. The Mayor stood on a platform to the right of the room, looking almost regal behind her podium. Though there were hundreds in the room, the woman was looking right at her.

"Thank you all for coming. Please, enjoy!" More applause. Fortunately the procession seemed to be over. Most everyone's attention turned away from her and back towards the excitement of the party. Music began again from the orchestra and a deep, pure alto voice carried softly through the room. It was some jazz tune Raven certainly didn't recognize.

Returning her attention to where the boys were leading her, Raven noticed they had made it across the room and were now proceeding to one of the white-clothed tables where Robin and Starfire sat.

"Raven!" Starfire called, beckoning her to sit beside her. Raven gave her a mild glare. Starfire sighed. "Please friend, I am most sorry for abandoning you, but I was merely following my instructions." Raven rolled her eyes and plopped down next to her. She soon heard her name called again and turned to see who it was this time.

The Titans East strode over to greet their friends. "Happy Birthday!" Bumblebee called. Raven nodded in return. A blur flew before her eyes, which she soon made out to be Más y Menos.

"¡Feliz cumpleaños!"

"¿Cuantos años tienes?"

"Ella tiene veintiuno años. ¡Preste atención!"

Raven stared at them blankly, wanting to say something but not entirely sure what they just said. True, she was fluent in Latin, but that didn't help her much in deciphering the Spanish that just rolled off their tongues.

"Thanks," she drawled, thankful that their attention quickly moved to Starfire.

"Hi Raven, it's nice to see you again." She looked up to find Aqualad smiling at her. She blushed; she couldn't help it, really, he was just so... pretty.

"Hey Raven, you wanna go get some food? Let's go get some food." A scant ten seconds after she sat down Beast Boy had her by the arm again, pulling her up from her chair and guiding her towards the food tables.

"Jealous?" she asked smugly once they were out of earshot.

"What? No, I just didn't like the way he was looking at you."

"He was looking at me?" Huh, she hadn't noticed. It was certainly a boost to her self-confidence.

"Of course he was," Beast Boy snorted. "I mean, look at you. Especially tonight." He was very matter-of-fact, but it still made Raven blush.

He continued to chat about the party and what a "drag" it was as he filled two plates with Italian cuisine. He even plopped a strip of steak onto Raven's, much to her surprise.

"Well at least it was better than your idea," she remarked.

"What, the club and shots plan?" He pursed his lips. "Okay, you have a point there. But at the time I suggested it I didn't know you had no ability to hold your liquor. I didn't know what I was signing myself up for." He grinned as Raven gave him a look.

"Raven." Once again she heard her name called through the crowd. She had a feeling that was going to be the pattern tonight. She turned to find the Mayor moving towards her in a sleeved plum colored gown.

"I would like to introduce you to some guests. If you're not too busy," she added in a way that made it clear she was coming with her whether she wanted to or not.

"Sounds fun," she drawled sarcastically while handing her untouched plate back to Beast Boy.

"Sure you don't need backup?" he whispered in her ear.

Oh, how she wanted him next to her, making her more comfortable in front of these people. He was a people person, she was not. But she couldn't tote him around behind her all night like he was her date or something. She sighed, knowing how she would have to answer.

"No, I'll be fine. Thank you," she whispered back to him as she began to follow after the quickly-departing Mayor. As she moved away she turned back to look at him one more time. He was still staring after her, smiling. She gave him a soft smile in return before turning and facing her doom.

* * *

Beast Boy once again checked the watch Robin had insisted he wear. Actually, Robin left him very specific instructions on what to wear tonight. Not surprisingly, Beast Boy had never worn a tuxedo before, and had no idea what he was in store for. When the thing arrived yesterday he had shoved it in his newly-cleaned closet without a thought. Putting it on today took a little extra effort and two trips to Cyborg's room. At the first his friend was very helpful, showing him how to put on each piece and fasten his cuff links. When he came around the second time to seek help tying his bow-tie, Cyborg laughed at him. Beast Boy scowled in his chair at the memory. In the end it all came together. Beast Boy had studied himself in the mirror and thought he looked quite dapper.

Raven had been gone for what seemed like forever, undoubtedly being led around and introduced to people like she was some kind of socialite. Beast Boy snorted. He could only imagine how it was going so far. _Oh well_, he thought, _I offered to come along_.

He caught a glimpse of purple in the crowd and perked up, hoping it was her. _Nope_, he sighed, slumping back into his chair, _just a purple dress_. Actually it was Jinx, swirling around the dance floor with Kid Flash. _That_ was a couple he never saw coming. He was still getting used to it.

"Looking for someone?" came a sultry voice from behind him. He whirled around to find Raven with a smirk on her lips.

"Finally! I swear I thought she was going to introduce you to the whole room before the night was over." He pulled out the chair beside his so she could sit and relax for a moment.

She scowled. "Me too. I'd been dreading that since you first came up with the idea of having this," she said, gesturing around the room. "I finally managed to escape for a minute, though I'm sure it won't be for long."

Across the room, Cyborg was talking enthusiastically with a group of guests about to embark on the first tour of the night. Beast Boy spotted him and realized he was their escape.

"Oh, I think it will be," Beast Boy said slyly, standing abruptly from his chair. Raven drew her brows together.

"What are you—"

"Just follow me," he replied, walking along the edge of the dance floor to cross the room. Raven followed behind him with a wary expression. As they neared the group, he turned back to explain. "Cyborg's leading the first tour of Titan's tower. Wanna go?" Raven looked relieved at the suggestion. "I thought so."

"Hey Cyborg!" he called as he reached them. "Got room for two more?"


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Beast Boy hung around at the back of the group, so Raven followed his lead. The group became more linear as they entered the narrower halls of the tower, leaving Beast Boy and Raven mostly unnoticed behind the guests. Cyborg lead the group in the front, his booming voice audible even to the two of them.

"Hey everybody! How y'all doin'? I'm Cyborg, as you probably know, and I'll be leading you through Titans Tower today. Just please stay with the group at all times and try not to touch anything, especially when we get to Beast Boy's room. It might be a health hazard," he warned, doing his best tour guide impression. Raven tried not to smile for Beast Boy's benefit.

As they were at the back of a group whose eyes were directed ahead of them, Raven subtly entwined her hand with Beast Boy's, though she was ready to pull apart if anyone got the idea to check out the action behind them. It wasn't so much that Raven enjoyed the physical contact but that she liked the idea of it: they were together, they were a couple, they were one, and the gesture proved it. Besides, if it was physical contact she was after, she would of headed a different route than hand holding.

Raven clenched her jaw and tried to force her mind from the subject. It was difficult to do; her brain kept traveling back to what had transpired in her room only an hour earlier. _Dear Azar_, she huffed. She certainly had better worries to occupy her mind. She was at a gala, in a dress, expected to act sociable. And then later, when she was to be gunned down in front of her friends... she shuddered from her mind's graphic description. As nerve-wracking as that was, it still couldn't compete with her preoccupation with Beast Boy right now. She blamed it on hormones. She had had her first taste of passion and she was ready to jump in the deep end. She was thankfully given a distraction as they stopped at their first sight.

"Alright, you're looking at one of the most important rooms in the tower. Here's where we keep the Titan's mainframe. Now, being the tech guy around here I might be a little biased, but we'd be in some serious trouble if someone knocked out our systems. We would have no communications and defense systems in the tower. Right here is the center of our technology." Raven tried not to think of the access codes she had slipped to the Mayor, allowing her people to disable some security features in order for their plan to work. _It will be okay_, she told herself for the hundredth time. Her scheme had a fifty-fifty chance of working. Not fantastic odds, but a lot better than the one hundred percent chance she had of dying earlier. At the very least it gave her hope.

Before she knew it the people in front of her were shuffling ahead. She watched the couple in front of them intently. The woman wore a classic red taffeta dress, the man a tux with a red tie to match her. They looked to be middle aged, Raven guessed mid-fifties. The too walked hand-in-hand and stared at each other more than where they were going. The man would whisper something in her hear, causing her to laugh. She tried to muffle it with her hand and gave him reproachful looks, but Raven could see the joviality in her eyes.

For the first time, Raven was jealous of a complete stranger. There had always been a slight jealousy that she carried Trigon's curse while others lived their lives freely, but she knew it was for the best. This was different. Raven had never been normal and frankly had never wanted to be, but when she looked at these two, nothing to worry about except for one another, she realized she wanted it. She wanted to be with Beast Boy when she was fifty, laughing and holding hands and still clearly in love. Raven blinked. _Did I just say love? _She looked up at Beast Boy, who was staring ahead but smiled at her when she caught his eye.

"And stop number two is our training gym. This is where we exercise, practice our combat skills, and, well, train together." He continued to ramble about the room, but Raven didn't pay attention. Not like it was any new information. They filed into the room to look at it and Raven was surprised at how clean it was. The whole place sparkled in a way that any kind of exercise facility usually didn't. And it smelled like Febreze.

"Cyborg did a good job cleaning," Raven murmured to Beast Boy, whose hand she had dropped now that they were in sight of the others.

"Yeah. Usually it smells like sweat covered with air freshener. Now it just smells like air freshener. I'll be back in a sec," he informed her as he strode over to chat with Cyborg.

Raven walked along the periphery of the room, lightly brushing her fingers along the equipment. She wondered how many hundreds of hours she had spent in here, training with her teammates. Along with the standard treadmills, punching bags, and weights, there was an array of electronic devices designed to test each of their powers. With each came a flood of memories. She finally made it to the mirrored wall and watched her reflection. She looked... old. Very different from the young girl who came here so many years ago.

"_Wow, this looks great. Nice job Cyborg," Robin said from the doorway. The newly-formed team spread out across the room, examining it's features. Slowly but surely, the tower was coming together. Raven had to admit that it was better than the cramped, grungy apartment she had been living in. Today she had moved the last of her stuff into her new room. She loved the space she had so meticulously decorated: it was hers, and hers alone. The others, having just met her, were not too curious about her personal life._

_She had had her doubts about this. Though she came to Earth, the birthplace of her mother, with the intention of doing good, she was unsure that teaming up with an oddball collection of super powered teens was the best way to go about it. She was surprised and nervous to get the call from Robin._

_She made her way over to the mirror, using it to subtly monitor the others. Starfire, the bubbly alien, was exploring the room from an aerial perspective. Her emotions fueled her powers, just as Raven's did, though her powers required her to feel emotion while Raven's required her to suppress it. Right now her overwhelming excitement was giving Raven a headache. _

_Beast Boy seemed equally as jovial, though considerably less mature. Raven constantly fought the urge to roll her eyes at his antics. He already seemed to be hitting it off with Cyborg, who was showing off the tech to his new friend._

"_Everything okay?" came a voice from behind her. Raven turned to face the team leader, Robin. She liked him. He seemed serious and determined, just as she was._

"_Everything's fine," she replied cooly. The way he looked at her made her uncomfortable, like he was trying to see into her mind, into her past. Those were places that no one ever wanted to go._

"_Alright. I'm really glad you decided to join us Raven," he added as he started to move away. "I think that we can do a lot of good here."_

Raven ran her fingers over the mirrors surface lightly, recalling the memory with a light smile.

"Hey, are you trying to get fingerprints on my mirror?" She turned to face Cyborg, who was grinning at her. She walked towards him and Beast Boy.

"I wanted to say thank you for earlier. For helping me. I'm not the best in front of people," Raven admitted, giving them both genuine smiles. Beast Boy returned hers with a wink.

"Don't mention it. You know we got your back." Cyborg turned his attention to the rest of the group, directing them back out into the hallway and towards the next stop. Once again she and Beast Boy hung back, letting everyone else file out before they followed.

Raven knew where they were headed before Cyborg announced it; the hallway they turned down only lead to one place, the roof.

"Sweet, we're just in time for the sunset!" Cyborg called down the stairwell as the opened the door. Sure enough, when the pair emerged they were bathed in a dim orange light emanating from the beautifully colored sky. The sun just dipped below the mouth of the bay. Raven watched it as she half-listened to Cyborg's speech about their recreational activities here.

_Raven took a deep breath of the warm afternoon air, letting it fill her lungs in preparation for her mantra._

"_Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," the two girls chanted, perfectly in sync. Raven snuck a peek at Starfire, whose face remained perfectly peaceful as she meditated. Raven felt refreshed and calm, an indication that her meditation was successful. She unfolded her legs and levitated down to the ground. Starfire took notice when she did not speak on the next chant._

"_Are you already finished with the cleansing of your thoughts?" Starfire asked, a little surprised. Every once in a while the two meditated together and Starfire almost always finished before Raven._

"_Yes, I'm going to get something to eat. Would you like to come?" She raised a brow when Starfire hesitated._

"_I believe I will stay a while longer, but thank you for your offer." She turned back towards the bay with an uncomfortable expression on her face. Raven watched her look out over the water, brows drawn together. She sighed, knowing this was her cue._

"_Is something on your mind?"_

_Starfire blurted her answer, eager to have a confidant. "Yes friend, my mind is most troubled. Though Robin and I have shared in the kiss, he has not yet made any indication that we are doing the dating. I fear that he may not share the feelings that I possess," she said with a blush._

_Raven shook her head. "Starfire, I know he feels the same way. He's just too stubborn to act on it." Her friends eyes glimmered with hope, though she obviously wasn't quite convinced. "Look, I've been inside Robin's mind. Trust me, he's, well, he's crazy about you Star. You just might have to be more forward. Robin isn't very good with emotional matters." _And neither am I_, Raven thought, hoping her words were sufficient to pull Starfire from her worries. She was relieved when the girl broke into a huge smile._

"_Thank you. Your advice has been most helpful." Raven gave her a small smile in return. _

"_So how about that lunch?" Starfire nodded enthusiastically as she floated over from the edge of the roof._

"Raven? Earth to Raven." She jumped as she was pulled abruptly from her thoughts. Though she hadn't noticed, the roof had cleared out. She spotted Beast Boy by the door, holding it open for her and staring at her with amusement.

"Sorry," she murmured, slipping into the stairwell and descending briskly to catch up with the others.

The next room they were visiting was the garage. Raven didn't really understand why this stop was necessary, but Cyborg was eager to discuss the various forms of transportation they used. Guests oohed and aahed over the R-cycle, T-car, and T-ship like they were rare paintings. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Notice how no one discusses the B-ped," Beast Boy mumbled with fake affront.

"That's because the R-cycle is so much cooler," Raven said sarcastically.

Beast Boy laughed. "We'll just have to go for another ride. That'll change you mind for sure." Raven shot him a dirty look, causing him to chuckle again.

Raven caught sight of Cyborg's tool cart.

"_Can you hand me the ½ inch?"_

_Raven drew her eyebrows together as she perused the selection of tools. She wasn't a mechanic yet, but she was at least learning what tools where what. Like right now she could assume Cyborg was talking about a combination wrench. She selected the right one, verified its size, and placed it in the hand sticking out from underneath the car._

"_Thanks Rae. I appreciate the help. I gotta say I never figured you would offer to hang here with me in the garage, fixin' up my baby." She heard the sound of metal clinking against metal as he worked._

_She shrugged delicately before remembering he couldn't see her. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just trying to avoid another tantrum about your car's demise," she said wryly, watching as he slid out from under the car. He took up a look of mock offense that made her smirk._

"_That was a good car and you know it!" He said while rubbing oil off his hands with a towel. "If you don't watch it maybe I'll put four seats in this one," he teased. Raven narrowed her eyes at him, only causing him to smile wider._

"And my favorite feature, the stereo system." Music with a booming bass filled the garage, echoing off the concrete. Raven brought her hands over her ears, glaring at Cyborg. He stood there with a stupid grin on his face, oblivious to her irritation.

"Cyborg! I think we got the idea!" Beast Boy yelled from beside her. She gave him a look of gratitude when the obnoxious music was finally shut off.

"Sorry 'bout that y'all," he apologized hesitantly, realizing no one had enjoyed the concert. "Let's get moving towards Robin's room."

Raven was eager to get going but remained where she was, waiting for the crowd to funnel through the exit. She looked up at Beast Boy, who was trying to contain laughter.

"What?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Oh, you know what," he replied as they stepped into the hallway. Raven narrowed her eyes.

"No, I don't have any idea why you're grinning like an idiot," she said, softening her harsh words with a smirk.

"You remember when we went to the cafe the other night? And I tried to get you to dance?" Raven's eyes flew wide as she realized what was about to happen.

"Tell me you didn't."

"Of course I did. You danced for me, though you _were_ drunk. Hmm, maybe that should have disqualified our bet. Oh well, too late now," he said, ambling down the hall with pride. Raven shook her head.

"What the?!" she heard Cyborg yell from up ahead. Her jaw dropped. She tried to subtly weave through the crowd, though she caught a few people's attention. She heard whispers from behind her as she moved to Robin's door, but she didn't care. She had to see this.

The whole room was covered with toilet paper. It streamed from the ceiling fan to the bed to the closet, wrapping around his furniture and draping across his floor.

"Do you know anything about this?" Cyborg hissed into Raven's ear.

"Uh, nope," she said, still taking in the room. She was glad all of her emotional training was working, otherwise she's be in hysterics right now. Cyborg looked like he was going to hit someone.

She turned around to locate Beast Boy, but he wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Where did Beast Boy go?" Cyborg said, eyes narrowed. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Why should I know?" Cyborg slapped his hand to his forehead, raking it down his face.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, we're just gonna skip this stop for now. Clearly someone had a little too much fun in his room today," he ground out. Raven remained where she was as people streamed past, taking a peek inside the room and chuckling. She somehow managed to keep it together until they had turned the corner down the hall. Raven hadn't seen Beast Boy disappear, but she had a suspicion as to where he had gone.

She retraced her steps a way up the hallway, turning to look around the corner. Beast Boy leaned against the wall, a hand over his mouth. When he saw Raven he burst into laughter. She rolled her eyes.

"He knows it was you."

"Aw, who cares?" he said with a shrug. "A few more hours and this night will be over with. We can go back to life as normal." Raven clenched her jaw but said nothing. "You think we should catch up with the tour group or go back to the common room?"

Raven realized she had been gone for a while. "What time is it?"

Beast Boy tilted his head to the side and raised a brow at her question. "Why? Worried it's almost midnight Cinderella?" He caught her look and relented. "It's seven fifteen."

Raven pursed her lips. She was supposed to be in the common room by eight. The timing made her heart beat faster. This was actually happening. And here he was giving her two choices: be around a group of strangers or be around a larger group of strangers.

Biting her lip, she looked up into his eyes. "Actually, I had another idea."

She tilted her head up to his and moved in for a slow, soft kiss. He was still for a moment, then responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around her back and parting her lips. Before she knew it, her back was pressed against the grey wall behind them, held in place by the pressure of Beast Boy's body against hers. He wasted no time in letting his hands explore her body, causing her to moan in pleasure.

"I think... we... should go back... to my room," she choked out between kisses. She was vaguely aware that they were standing in the middle of the hallway, ready for anyone to discover them.

"Mmhmm," he murmured against her lips, swooping her up into his arms and carrying her a ways down the hall to her door. His lips never left hers.

Once inside he set Raven down and pushed her back up against the closed door, running his hands over her breasts through the fabric of her dress.

"Beast Boy?"

"Yes?" he asked, pulling away from her to give her a concerned look.

"I think this dress needs to come off." She couldn't help smirking at the smile that spread across his face. He turned around and headed further into her room, giving her space to change. Raven fumbled with the zipper on the back, wishing not for the first time that she had her powers to help her. She finally got it down and let the dress fall off her shoulders and over her hips, melting into a pile on the floor. She stepped out of it in nothing more than her black panties and bra.

She walked up to Beast Boy and slowly placed a kiss on his shoulder. He turned back around to face her, his eyes dark. "Raven—"

She silenced him with a kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck and her fingers entwining in his hair. She pushed him slowly forward until he fell back against her bed, Raven landing on top of him. She stared down at him, her _boyfriend_. And suddenly she knew what she wanted more than anything else, how she wanted to spend what could possibly be her last few moments on Earth.

She began to shrug his jacket off and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt until the thing was tossed aside, leaving him bare chested. She brought a hand to his face, cupping his cheek as she kissed him.

"Raven, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, eyes alight but clouded with concern. Raven pulled away from him for a moment and looked intently into his eyes.

"Beast Boy, I've never been more certain of anything. Truly." She kissed him again, letting him know that she meant it. She felt his weight shift and before she knew it, she was on her back.

"Raven?" Beast Boy asked as he showered kisses down her neck.

"Yes?" she replied, her voice only a whisper.

"I love you."


	32. Chapter 32

AN: Special thanks to lunar silver for the song suggestion!

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Robin drummed his fingers on the table, brow furrowed and lost in thought. _He should have called me by now_, he thought sourly. Robin had been on high alert all night, looking for a sign that something was amiss. So far everything had gone smoothly, though he still hadn't heard back from Bruce yet.

"Robin?" His ears grew red. The voice was unmistakably Starfire's. "Forgive me Robin, but I believe it is customary for a gentleman to share a dance with his date at such a festivity. I was wondering if, perhaps, now might be an acceptable time for us to partake in this custom." He turned to find her standing shyly behind him, looking down at the floor and tapping her index fingers together as she spoke. It was a habit of hers when she was nervous or unsure.

Robin tried his best to shove down his apprehension and stood to face her with a smile. She was right, he was being a horrible date thus far.

"Starfire, I would be honored." Her face lit up, seemingly brightening the room around her. He was glad she came over: only Starfire could find him riddled with worry and leave him at ease. He took her hand, wrapping it through his arm as he led her to the dance floor.

Robin wasn't a great dancer, but he knew enough to lead her through the steps. A new song started up, one of his favorite's.

_Someday, when I'm awfully low,_

_When the world is cold,_

_I will feel a glow just thinking of you_

_And the way you look tonight._

"You are pleased with the selection of music?" Starfire asked as she let him lead her around the floor. She wasn't overly familiar with the dance, naturally, but her graceful and fluid way of moving made her look like a professional.

"It's from this old movie called _Swing Time_. Maybe we'll watch it one day," he said, opening his arm to signal a spin. Starfire turned gracefully, letting her dress float out around her. When he caught her in his arms again, she giggled.

"You know Star, I think this song is actually... very fitting right now," he said, eyes downcast and cheeks red. Starfire's cheeks turned the same color at his complement.

"Robin, I have been meaning to ask you something," she said after a moment. He smiled, signaling her to continue. "You see, we have not been doing the dating for a while, and though we had agreed that it was best we part then, I feel that circumstances have changed."

Robin stopped moving as he felt his communicator buzz. Starfire stopped abruptly, blinking at his sudden change in pace. He quickly pulled the communicator from his pocket, looking to see who it was. _Finally_, he thought, his mind moving back to his earlier preoccupation.

"Listen Starfire, I have to go. I'll talk with you later, I'm sorry," he said as he pulled away and started walking towards the door.

"Robin!" She called after him. He stopped and sighed. Though it was against his better judgment, he turned to look at her. Her lip quivered and her eyes were round, begging him to stay there with her. He was glad he was wearing a mask. It was difficult to keep the tough facade that he had to despite her pleading look.

He knew he had to go. His team could be in danger. Starfire herself could be in danger. _I can't neglect my duties, no matter how badly I want to stay with her, no matter how beautiful she looks, no matter how much I lov— no matter how much I _like_ her_. He turned away, not having the strength to look her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Starfire, I have to go."

* * *

Raven sighed, rubbing her hand along Beast Boy's chest. She could stay like this for hours, snuggled up beside him under the warmth of her sheets.

"We should probably get back to the party." She looked up at him and made a face, causing him to chuckle. "Or we could just stay here." They were quiet for a few minutes.

"Beast Boy?"

"Garfield." He shifted so he was facing her and wrapped his arm around her bare back.

"What?"

"My name is Garfield, remember? I don't know, Beast Boy feels... tacky, at least in this situation." Raven tried not to get distracted with the feeling of his fingers against her skin as he brushed her cheekbone.

"Garfield reminds me of the cat," she murmured, burying her face in his chest. She felt the vibrations in his torso as he laughed. Raven wouldn't describe herself as cuddly, but right now all she wanted to do was be close to him. She wouldn't have much longer to do so.

"How about Gar? My parents used to call me Gar."

Raven tried it on her tongue. "Gar."

"Mmm, I like it. I like hearing you say it," he mumbled into her hair. She sighed.

"Gar, we need to get back," she whispered.

"Didn't I just suggest that?"

Raven shifted so that she rested on her elbows. "Yes, you did. I just didn't want to go." She sat up and let her feet dangle off the side of the bed. She could feel him rolling over to the other side of the bed and standing up. She turned to say something but was caught off guard by his completely naked body. She turned back around, but not before he noticed her blushing profusely. She could hear the laughter in his voice when he spoke.

"Why don't I let you get changed and I'll meet you back down there?" he asked. Raven heard him fiddling with the clothing she had thrown haphazardly on the floor. She wrapped herself in the sheet as she tucked her legs under her, unprepared for the cold air of the room. When she snuck a glance again, Beast Boy was just shrugging on his jacket and straightening his tie. Raven smiled as she watched him fiddle with it.

In a bold move of confidence, she let the sheet fall off of her as she stood and strode over to Beast Boy. She swatted his hand away as she undid the knot and started again, producing a neater result closer to what had been there in the first place. She caught him looking at her and figured he didn't mind the assistance.

"There," she said, reaching up and tentatively giving him a soft kiss. "I'll see you in the common room."

"See you in the common room," he breathed, shaking his head and giving her one last kiss.

She folded her arms across her chest as he slipped through the door, grinning like an idiot while he held his dress shoes.

She stayed that way for a moment before she reluctantly moved into action.

She put her undergarments back on before shimmying into her abandoned dress. She walked around the room, tidying things up while looking for her shoes. When the floor was clean and her feet were in their heels, she set about making the bed. It was sacred space now, and she treated it as such, carefully smoothing the comforter and arranging the pillows.

When it was to her satisfaction she grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from her desk. The note didn't have to be long and it didn't have to be specific. It just needed the right instructions. Folding it, she bit her lip and debated where to leave it.

Beast Boy's room was a stop on the tour, so she couldn't risk putting it there. But it was meant for him and him alone, which really left one place. Oddly enough, she would leave it in her room. She walked over to her bed and carefully slid it under her pillow.

She took a moment to look in the mirror and verify that she looked suspicious. She tried to soothe her curls as best she could and rubbed at her face to smooth her makeup. She didn't think it helped much, but she looked vaguely passable. She gave one final glance at her bed before moving towards the door.

_Please, God, let him find it._

* * *

Robin sat in the evidence room, as his room was otherwise occupied by whatever tour group Cyborg had in there. _They better not touch anything_, he thought, not entirely trusting Cyborg's repeated promises. He had his laptop open, pouring over the files Bruce had sent him. There wasn't much, but it was still more than he had.

The Church of Blood was, unfortunately, very real. An ancient organization, it was created to worship Trigon and help facilitate his arrival to Earth. _Well, there's the connection to Raven_, he thought bitterly. Raven had told him about them when she first explained her lineage and the prophecy of her birth. She just didn't call them by name. _But what does it have to do with Slade?_ he wondered.

After a little more reading he finally hit the jackpot.

_Today, the Church exists as a loose affiliation with highly secretive protocol for meetings. Not much is known about their current agenda, though a few key members have been identified._

He scrolled down until he caught sight of the words Jump City. There was a name there. Anthony Miles. He instantly ran in through his police-quality background check.

The man appeared clean. Robin grit his teeth in frustration. _There has to be something here_, he thought. On a whim he pulled up his financial records.

Everything appeared generally normal, save for two transactions. Two twenty thousand dollar deposits, each from different offshore, untraceable accounts. Robin smirked. _Let's just see how untraceable they are._

After almost a half an hour of hacking, Robin had finally extracted a name from the deposit. James Cavill, who seemingly had very little background except for being employed by Jump City as a custodian in City Hall. Robin's brows drew together. _Why the hell would a janitor be giving twenty thousand dollars to some Trigon-worshiping psycho? _Everything clicked into place.

Cavill was a cover up. The Mayor was the one transferring money. Which meant... _she's in league with the Church of Blood_. Robin felt his blood go cold. The party was in Raven's honor. Raven was Trigon's daughter. The Mayor was a follower of Trigon.

He didn't know what her plan was, but he knew one thing: he had to get to Raven before it was too late.

* * *

Raven once again stood in front of the common room doors, though this time she anticipated a better outcome than the last. Sure enough, when the door slid open no one took much notice. They were all too busy enjoying the party.

The room had changed since she had left it: it was now dark outside and the whole place was lit from the glow of the thousands of tea light candles that hung from the wisteria on the ceiling. It looked beautiful with everything bathed in the soft yellow light.

"Hey." His voice was husky in her ear. She jumped in surprise, turning quickly to face him.

"You scared me."

"Sorry," Beast Boy said quickly. "I've been waiting for you. I need you to help me hide from Cyborg."

Raven smirked. "I wonder why."

Suddenly his ear twitched and his eyes grew wide. "Shit, here he comes!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor.

"Raven, may I have this dance?" he asked hastily as he wove them closer to the center of the floor.

"I guess," she stuttered, letting herself be pulled along. Before she knew it she was in his arms, letting him hold her in closed position. She blinked to reorient herself.

"Ready?" he asked with a smile. She nodded, praying she would remember what he had taught her earlier.

Thankfully he was a good lead. She let her body flow with his, matching his movements without much thought. After they were swaying for a while Beast Boy spoke up.

"Okay, the coast is clear. Not that we have to stop dancing," he clarified, tightening his hold on her back. He slowly slid the hand down to rest a little lower than what was standard.

"_Garfield_," she said reproachfully. He grinned but made no move to raise the offending appendage. She rolled her eyes.

She was suddenly aware that there weren't as many people around her. She looked around to find that the center of the dance floor had cleared out. Everyone was eager to give the birthday girl her space. Raven's cheeks flushed.

"Garfield!" she hissed.

"Fine, fine," he replied, moving his hand a little more north.

"No, not that. Everyone is watching us." He looked up and surveyed the room, noting that everyone had formed a circle around the dance floor, watching them with enjoyment.

"So? Maybe we want an audience."

"Not while I'm dancing! Or trying to," she amended, praying she didn't trip and fall on her face. Here she was, Raven the Titan, completely powerless and dancing in front of these people like it was a show.

"Relax," Beast Boy coaxed. "Just pretend they're not there." Raven tried to take his advice, avoiding eye contact with anyone in their newly-formed audience. But her eyes caught a streak of plum and she was instantly drawn to it.

It was the Mayor. She stood at the periphery of the oblong of space the crowd had given them, watching Raven intently. Their eyes locked and Raven felt her head spin.

She nodded just once.

This was it.

Suddenly it all felt overwhelming, like it was happening too fast. There were people and lights and she was spinning around, held upright by Beast Boy's arms. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes darted to the vent in the upper lefthand corner of the room, where she knew the gunman was waiting. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest.

"Raven, is something wrong?" Beast Boy asked, not oblivious to her change in demeanor. Raven shook her head to clear it. She didn't know how long she had. Minutes, more likely seconds. But she knew there was one thing she had to do.

"Gar?"

He looked at her, brows drawn together with concern. "What is it Rae?"

She locked eyes with him, sending him as much warmth as possible. "I love you too."

The sound of gunshots rang through the room.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Several sounds rang in his ears, instantly sending his senses into overdrive. The first was Robin's voice. He was screaming something, but Beast Boy couldn't make out what. The second was the sound of gunshots. After years of battle, he knew that sound too well. They were under attack.

"Raven, get down!" he commanded, hoping to get them both to safety so they could make a plan to take their assailant down. When she didn't move he looked at her intently, finally noticing the glazed look in her eyes. They were wide with shock, her mouth forming a small "o."

Realization hit him slowly. The way she swayed unsteadily, the fear that filled her eyes. His nightmare was confirmed when she fell forward into him, having no control of her body.

"RAVEN!" he screamed, catching her slumping body before she hit the floor. He dropped to his knees, cradling her limp form. "Raven what's wrong?" he asked, though he knew the answer. "Raven?" Fear and adrenaline flooded his entire body as he searched her. With a rush of horror he felt liquid drip onto the hand that held her back. Shifting her weight, he pulled it out and stared at the blood covering his hand.

"Oh God," he whispered, clutching her closer to him. He felt constricted, like something was gagging the air out of him. His head felt light and he couldn't get enough breath no matter how hard he gasped. He was vaguely aware of the people running and screaming around him, all frantic to evacuate the common room.

He forced himself to think. "It's okay Raven, you're going to be okay. You have your magic. We're going to get you to a doctor. You're going to be okay, you have to be okay," he choked out. He looked up briefly to find his teammates. "Cyborg!" he screamed into the crowd. "CYBORG!" He screamed it over and over until his friend finally came running.

"Beast Boy, what's—" he froze as he took in the scene. Beast Boy tried not to stare at the pool of blood forming below them.

"Cyborg, she needs help! Quick, you have to do something!" he commanded as he gently rocked Raven. He stared into her eyes, but she stared through him. He squeezed her hand, but hers remained limp. He whispered her name, though she didn't reply.

"Raven? Raven, can you hear me? Come on, stay with me. Cyborg's here and he's going to take you to the med bay and you're going to be fine." He stroked her hair, not even caring how it matted with blood from his hand. "You're going to be fine. Cyborg's going to bandage you up and you're going to heal yourself and you'll be good as new." He lost it towards the end, his voice cracking with emotion. Tears stung in his eyes. "I love you so much Raven. I love you. I love you." He whispered it over and over again, the tears overflowing from his eyes and landing on her cheek.

_I love you._

"Cyborg, come on! She needs help, she's hurt!" He couldn't understand why he wasn't doing anything yet. He looked up at his friends, noticing how they stood around him. Robin's face was stone. He clutched Starfire as she buried her face in his shoulder. Cyborg looked just as serious. He just stood there watching, his forearm raised.

"Cyborg what's wrong with you? Can't you see she's bleeding? Do something!" he pleaded, watching his friend's face contort in pain.

"Beast Boy..." he hesitated, his voice shaky. "There's nothing I can do."

"What do you mean?!" he shouted, infuriated. "We need to get her to a hospital! She's going to bleed out!"

"It doesn't matter Beast Boy!" Cyborg shouted back in a deep, emotive voice, gesturing to the sensor on his arm. "A bullet pierced her heart. She's gone," he whispered. His face scrunched up and he too turned away.

Beast Boy's ears rang.

_Gone..._

He looked back at Raven. _Gone._ He looked at her bloody, lifeless body. He traced a finger down her cold cheek.

"Raven." He tried so desperately to hold back the tears, but they forced their way out. He choked on them as he cried, letting the water stream down his face. "I'm so sorry Raven," he croaked, his voice hoarse. "I love you so much. Raven." He said her name over and over as he leaned down to kiss her cheeks, her forehead, and her lips.

He looked into her glassy eyes, shuddering at the morbid sight. He reached a shaking hand over to close them, then rested his forehead against hers, body still shaking.

Some part of him hoped that if he just held her for long enough, if he just hoped hard enough, she would wake up. But when he closed her eyes, he knew. It wouldn't do him any good.

She was dead.


	34. Chapter 34

AN: I hope this isn't confusing. Flashbacks are in italics and are not in any chronological order.

* * *

_**Part 3**_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

_Three Months Later_

Beast Boy walked slowly up the hill, as often did now. When he first started coming he went straight to his destination and back; now he preferred to amble along the pathway, admiring the scenic views. Sometimes he talked to her, but only if no one was around. This early in the morning, he figured that would be the case.

The morning was cool and foggy, mist swirling around the rows of grey stones. Hers was in the very back, overlooking the bay and the tower. He figured she would like that. When he reached her headstone he stopped for a minute, gazing at its lettering before taking a seat beside her and staring out over the water.

"Morning Rae," he said softly, running his hand through the grass. It was growing in around the stone nicely, an observation accompanied by a twinge of sadness.

_Beast Boy stood with his back straight, trying, like she always did, to make his face unreadable. To his right was Cyborg, to his left Starfire and Robin. He noticed they were holding hands. They had been doing that a lot, ever since... well, ever since that night._

_They still didn't say it out loud, at least not in front of him. They always used ambiguous terms like "that night" or "now that she's gone." They never, ever said "dead." It was funny, actually. They were superheroes, prepared to lay down their lives in defense of their city. Technically Raven had died before, when Trigon came to Earth. But it was hard to realize exactly what that meant when the world was reduced to stone and lava. This time was different. This time their own mortality was flashed before them._

"_Beast Boy," a gentle voice came from in front of him, snapping him out of his thoughts. People had been moving down the receiving line for hours, and though he had seen a lot of faces he was surprised to find Kole and Gnarrk before him._

"_Oh, hey. Sorry, I was just—"_

_Kole took one of his hands in hers. "It's alright. We're all going to miss her."_

"_Yeah," he replied quietly. He cleared his throat and continued formally. "Thank you both for coming. It's a long way from the North Pole. It means a lot to us," he said, gesturing to the four others in the line._

"_There are people who came from farther," she reminded him. "And you know we wouldn't miss it."_

_She gave him a sad smile and Gnarrk grunted before they moved on to talk with Cyborg._

_Beast Boy looked around for a clock in the funeral home, hoping that the visitation was almost over. Robin had let him pick the venue at his insistence. He knew better than to have something like this at the Tower. It would mar his home even more than it already had been. He still had trouble walking into the common room, even after it returned to its usual state._

_Fortunately Robin was having a long talk with the man next in the line, giving Beast Boy a few seconds to himself. He snuck a look over at the casket. He had insisted they leave it closed; he knew she wouldn't want people looking at her on display, if she were here._

Beast Boy remembered how they buried her that afternoon, how the dirt was lumpy and the grass sparse around the site. It was level now, more natural-looking. He sighed.

"Sorry I haven't been up here this week. I wanted to be, but, well, you know. The trial and everything." He brightened up a bit, remembering his news. "She's in jail you know. Life without parole. So basically ex-mayor Forbes is screwed." He paused, looking out over the water. "Bitch deserves it."

"_Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth to the best of your knowledge?"_

"_I do." The woman looked stony and calm, even sitting behind the witness stand at her own trial. Beast Boy clenched the seat of the bench, gritting his teeth to keep his anger under control. He was vaguely aware that people were talking to her. Probably the prosecution asking her a question. His entire focus was solely on her. He did listen when she opened her mouth to speak._

"_I do not deny what I did. I conspired in the murder of a city hero, of a girl willing to give her life to protect the people of Jump. And that's just what she did."_

"_That wasn't the question—"_

"_Raven knew exactly what we had planned. She helped us carry it out!" The Mayor spoke loudly and passionately, as if it were actually the truth. The courtroom was abuzz as the judge slammed the gavel several times, trying to silence the audience and the Mayor herself._

"_She made a sacrifice, as have I in order to protect the people as we have sworn to do so!" She yelled over the din. The crowd gasped and whispered._

"_Order!" The judge screamed again, finally getting through. "If I don't have silence everyone is out of here!" That effectively shut everyone up. Beast Boy's gaze had never left the woman on the stand. As she looked into the audience assembled in the courtroom, her eyes met his and she stopped. It may have just been his imagination, but he thought it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop._

_Suddenly he stood, drawing the eye of everyone in the courtroom, including his teammates._

"_Beast Boy, what are you doing?" Robin hissed from where he sat next to him. Beast Boy ignored him, He walked into the center aisle, turned away from the scene, and strode out the back doors. He could feel the shocked stares boring into his back, but he just kept walking until he made it outside._

Even now, his jaw was clenched tight. "She's trying to make herself out to be a hero. She told everyone you would bring about the end of the world. Again," he added. "She said... she said that you knew about it," he choked out. He could feel the emotion swelling in him and he cursed himself again. It had been three damn months and he hadn't made it a day without crying yet.

"I told them all that it was impossible Rae, that you wouldn't do that. I know you, and you never give up. Even if we were in danger because of Trigon, you would have told us about it." He swallowed, somehow managing to keep the tears at bay. "It's not true." He looked down at the stone and forced a small smile onto his lips.

"I'm sorry Raven," he said quietly. "I don't need to tell you what you already know." He tried to relax his body as he looked around, taking in the serene beauty of the landscape. He saw the island, the tower, the bridge and the skyscrapers. His eyes settled on the beach.

_Beast Boy stared up at his ceiling, studying each imperfection. He felt empty, like there was nothing left inside of him to feel. He hadn't left his room in four days. He only knew that because a concerned Starfire had informed him through his door this morning, offering him food and water in the process. He denied both. That was the first time he had spoken in days. When he did his voice was raspy and shaky. He hated the sound and hadn't said a word since._

_He cried. It started when he realized she was hurt. He cried when the coroner finally took her body from his arms. He cried as he collapsed on his bedroom floor, not caring to figure out why or how any of it had happened. He cried as he stared at her blood all over him, wanting to scrub it off but at the same time wanting to keep it there, because at the very least it was hers. It was part of her, a part that covered his hands and his arms and his clothing. He cried out of anger, out of loss, out of guilt that he wasn't able to save her. He _should_ have been able to save her._

_All that was left now was a pervading numbness. It felt like none of it was real. Like all there was were the four walls around him, the floor under his feet, and the ceiling over his head. He never had friends, he had never loved Raven, and she had never bled to death in his arms. Time was a blur. He kept his curtains closed tightly. He fell into and out of sleep._

_Starfire was not the first to try and talk to him. Each of his friends had come and tried to convince him to come out. They didn't understand, they didn't come close to comprehension._

_When he heard a knock at the door yet again, he figured he would get the same routine. He was surprised when it was Starfire's voice on the other side, as she had made the last attempt. He thought it was Cyborg's turn._

"_Beast Boy, I know you do not wish for company, but I believe there is something you need to see."_

_He didn't know why he got up. Perhaps it was the numbness. Before he couldn't bear the thought of seeing them in this state, of listening to them try and talk him down. Now he just felt impenetrable, like there was nothing they could say that could affect him. He moved like a zombie out of bed and stood in front of the door, letting it slide open._

_Starfire's eyes grew wide in poorly concealed surprise. Beast Boy didn't know if it was from his presence at the door after so many failed attempts, or if it was in reaction to his appearance. He hadn't showered in days and still had bloodstains on his hands, though he had changed uniforms._

_He stared at her until she spoke. "Follow me," she instructed simply, then turned down the hall. Though he didn't care what she had to show him, he obliged._

_Oddly enough, they went to the roof. Starfire took his hand gently and led him to the edge facing Jump City._

_She didn't have to explain anything. Looking at the shoreline, he knew. Covering the entire stretch from the beach to the start of the forest were thousands and thousands of candles. Each was lit, their flickering light adding to the glowing line of the shore. Whereas he could normally hear faint sounds from the city, tonight it was dark and quiet. He could see tiny dark spots moving among the light, which he somehow knew were people. His legs collapsed beneath him, and he slumped down along the edge of the roof, mesmerized by the sight._

_It wasn't until he felt her gentle touch on his shoulder that he realized Starfire had sat down next to him. Tearing his eyes away, he looked at her face in the yellowy glow of distant candlelight._

_He saw the moisture in her eyes, the puffy purple bags underneath them. Her normally bright features looked worn and heavy, her heart burdened. With a rush of feeling he realized he wasn't alone._

"_I'm so sorry Starfire," he whispered, watching as a tear fell down her cheek. She quickly embraced him and rubbed his back reassuringly as he too began to cry._

"_It is okay friend, it is okay."_

_Beast Boy realized he was wrong. He had plenty of tears left to cry._

"You should have seen it Rae," he said quietly, slowly moving back into the present. "They did it just for you. They loved you." He twirled the lone flower he held in his hand. As he always did, he placed the rose at the base of her headstone as he stood.

"I have to go now before the team wakes up. They miss you too, of course." He stood there awkwardly, wishing he could stay awhile longer. He ran his fingers along the smooth edges of the headstone, wishing not for the first time that it was her skin instead. That she was warm and living and standing right in front of him.

"Goodbye Raven," he sighed. "I love you." Without another glance, he morphed into a bird and took flight, not trusting himself to stay composed as a human.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Beast Boy sat at the kitchen table, staring into his glass of soy milk. Cyborg and Starfire were on the couch, watching some documentary from what he could tell. Robin was nowhere in sight.

Beast Boy glanced at his communicator, looking for the time. _Five more minutes_, he sighed. He would never tell his friends, but he made himself spend at least an hour with them every day. Some days it was easier; they were called to stop a villain or had training scheduled. Other days, like today, he had to force himself to sit in the common room or in their company for sixty minutes, thinking the whole time about going back to his room to sleep or sit in solitude.

The charade wasn't for his benefit, but for theirs. They worried about him, he could tell. They hadn't said anything out loud, but they didn't need to. He could see it in their eyes when they looked at him, in the glances they sent one another. He tried to appear stable and stay off their radar, which meant an hour a day living a lie.

"Beast Boy?" a hesitant voice asked from in front of him. He looked up to find Robin standing stiffly in front of the table. He noticed the sound from the television was gone; Starfire and Cyborg were walking his way.

His brows drew together as he watched them assemble. Whatever this was, it wasn't good. Starfire took a seat beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Beast Boy, we were wishing we might talk with you," she explained softly.

"What is this, an intervention?" he asked with a huff. No one said a word. "Oh."

"We're not saying that you're doin' something wrong," Cyborg clarified. "We know, it's hard. But we thought that after a while, things might get better," he said hesitantly. All three of them looked uncomfortable, and he could tell they were walking on eggshells.

"It's been months Beast Boy," Robin said. "I know you're still grieving, we all are, but we're worried this might be more of a problem than we thought."

Beast Boy grit his teeth. "What do you mean?"

"Honestly, you've been completely unpredictable in battle. Either you seem too distracted to put up a fight or too angry to think clearly."

Beast Boy chose his words carefully. "So I've become too much of a burden to the team?" The question tasted venomous.

"No! Friend, we merely fear for your safety," Starfire exclaimed. "As well as the safety of those around you," she added reluctantly.

They were all silent for a few minutes. Beast Boy was trying to control himself, to calm the boiling emotions inside of him. At the forefront of these was anger.

"So what now?" he ground out, ready for their heart-to-heart to end.

Robin grimaced. "I hate to do this, but we think it might be best for you if you, well, took a break from being a hero. Just for a while, until..." he trailed off. They all knew what he was insinuating, but Beast Boy's anger was starting to get the better of him, prompting him to finish the statement.

"Until what? Until I forget about her just like you all have?" He knew it was harsh but he didn't care. He was surprised and hurt that they were saying these things, that they were implying he should move on already and get over it. Get over her.

"Whoa, man, she was our friend too," Cyborg said, an edge to his voice.

"Then why are you all acting like nothing happened?!" he shouted.

"Because we're heroes Beast Boy, we can't afford to grieve like everyone else." Beast Boy sent daggers in Robin's direction.

"You always say that. We can't have fun, we can't feel emotion, and we can't love because we're heroes. But if it was Starfire you'd be doing the same damn thing I am!"

"That's different," Robin said between clenched teeth.

"HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?" he screamed. He was standing now, staring Robin in the eye as he stood not two feet in front of him. "Do you want me to say it Robin? I loved her. I _loved_ her. It didn't matter if we were friends or dating or fucking married, I loved her and she bled to death in my arms and I couldn't do a thing about it," he ranted, volume and intensity dropping as he went on. He ran a hand across his face in frustration. He was just tired now. Tired of the argument and tired of these feelings. "It's only been three months Robin and you're telling me to move on. I'm sorry, but I just can't do it." With that he turned and strode quickly to the common room door.

"Beast Boy, come on man," he heard from behind him, but he just kept walking. He didn't want them to see him cry.

* * *

It didn't matter where he went. He tried everywhere: his room, the roof, the rocks by the shore, everywhere except her room. That was the one place he hadn't been since the night she died. After exhausting his options in the tower, he decided maybe a walk downtown would help to clear his head.

Usually when they were in public, people kept their distance out of surprise and respect. Today he assumed it was because he looked like he might punch somebody. Everywhere he went, people hastily cleared out of his way, whispering and staring as he walked by.

He didn't walk with any kind of plan. He just turned when he thought about it or saw something that caught his eye. After a while he had a dull ache in his feet that matched the one in his head. Turning to figure out which direction the Tower was in, he finally noticed where he was. This was the young, artsy section of town, the one that surprisingly enough contained Raven's favorite cafe.

He turned around in a circle until he spotted a street sign, helping him to map his change in course. After a few wrong turns, he finally made it to his destination. The cafe looked just the same as it had the last time, though he paid more attention to its exterior. The last time he was too preoccupied with her.

It had a brick exterior with large windows set in the outside and a glass door that seemed to always remain propped open. The hand-painted, colorful sign above the door had four letters: _Ree's_. Swallowing his memories as best he could, he walked inside.

Raven was right: the place was much mellower in the daytime. Many of the tables had been replaced with armchairs and couches, and for the first time he noticed the bookcases lining the walls. _This_ looked more like a place Raven would feel at home. The scents of coffee and tea wafted from the bar area.

"Can I get you something to drink?" a timid voice asked from behind the counter. Beast Boy turned to see a mousy blonde girl with wide, star struck eyes. His lips turned up a bit in the corner.

"Sure. Um, how about some herbal tea."

"You want our special blend?" she asked, already getting started on filling the cup with water.

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. As she finished brewing it he reached for his wallet.

"Oh no, it's on the house," she said with a smile. "You can take a seat anywhere you like, we have a singer who's gonna be on any minute," she added brightly.

"I thought she only played at night," he asked, remembering that was what Raven had told him. The girl looked confused and Beast Boy mentally berated himself. To her knowledge, he had never been in here.

"She's added a few afternoon spots," she explained slowly, head tilted to the side in appraisal. Beast Boy gave her a nervous smile and quickly excused himself to a table.

Taking a look down the far wall, he noticed that their booth was open. He slowly walked over and slid in, running his fingers along the table. He could just picture her on the other side. Lifting the teacup to his lips, he sampled the bitter fluid. He made a face as he set it down. _Ugh, how could she drink that stuff?_ he wondered distantly. His thoughts were interrupted by the melodic twinkling of a piano. On the stage the same slim brunette sat on a stool in front of a mic, her pianist playing away on an upright behind her. The tune was calm and jazzy, perfect for the laid-back vibe the cafe emitted.

"We haven't had anyone sit there in a while, at least not during the daytime." Beast Boy jumped at the sound, turning to find who had spoken to him. A kind-looking woman in a bright, floral shirt and blue jeans stood with her arms crossed over her apron. Grey streaked her hair, whose wavy locks were thrown back in a messy bun. Slowly, she slid in the seat across from him.

"Sorry to frighten you," she said with a smile. "My name's Ree." She extended her hand, which Beast Boy shook loosely. He watched her with what he was sure was a half-dazed expression. "Beast Boy, right? You know your friend used to come in here all the time." Her voice was soft, laced with sympathy and sadness.

"Yeah," he finally managed to respond. "I came with her, once."

"You did?" Ree seemed genuinely surprised. "Not much goes on around here that I don't know about, especially when it comes to Miss Raven," she said with a slight grin.

"I was disguised."

The pieces seemed to fall into place in her mind. "Ahh, so you're the gentleman she came in with. That was quite the piece of gossip the next day." She tilted her head to the side, looking at him knowingly. "Do you mind if I ask you something personal?"

At this point, he didn't really care. It was kinda nice to talk with someone about her, someone who wasn't going to tell him to move on or give him pitying frowns. "Go ahead."

"Did you love her?"

Beast Boy blinked at her bluntness. "I, um... how could you tell?"

"The look in your eyes." She paused, reaching her hand across the table and holding one of his. He was startled by the gesture, but relaxed as she squeezed it knowingly. Her hand was warm and soft.

"I'm so sorry." She said it so low it was almost a whisper. His gaze rose to meet hers and he found a heartfelt sadness in her eyes.

"Thanks," he said, looking away before the moisture in his eyes leaked out. He felt her hand slip away from his and saw her rise from the booth.

"Try this," she said, reaching for a packet of sugar and placing it beside his teacup. He nodded and gave her the biggest smile he could muster as she walked away.

He looked back towards the tea as the song ended. Following Ree's advice, he tore off the corner and emptied the packet into his tea, using the small teaspoon on the saucer to stir it. He once again brought it to his lips, this time more hesitant.

It was warm and sweet, the sugar taking the edge off of it's flavor and giving it a somewhat enjoyable, earthy flavor. He let it sit on his tongue as a new song began.

The singer's eyes were turned to the ground when she started, the thoughtful look on her face matching the somber tone of the music.

_All my friends tell me I should move on_

_I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song_

_Ahhh, that's how you sang it_

_And there's no remedy for memory your face is_

_Like a melody, it won't leave my head_

_Your soul is haunting me and telling me_

_That everything is fine_

_But I wish I was dead_

Beast Boy could feel his shoulders tense. The lilting melody and pointed lyrics made his chest constrict. _Be strong_, he commanded himself. _People can see you._

_Every time I close my eyes_

_It's like a dark paradise_

_No one compares to you_

_I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side_

He stood abruptly from the table, leaving a wad of dollars next to his cup. He kept his head down as he moved straight for the door, trying to keep his face as unreadable as possible.

When he made it outside he looked around. The streets were far from crowded, but it wasn't quite good enough. His head turned frantically, searching for an alleyway. He spotted one a block down and all but ran to it.

It wasn't clean and it wasn't pretty, but Beast Boy didn't give a shit. He collapsed against one of the brick walls and finally let the tears run down his face.

* * *

Starfire sat on the couch, completely still. Normally when she was stressed she fidgeted or tapped her fingers, but this kind of anxiety was far past where movement would help.

_We have failed him_, she thought solemnly. When Robin first suggested they talk to him, she was eager to do it. She had hoped it might help ease his pain. The air was thick with sadness; grief had hung over them all for the past three months, but none so much as Beast Boy. She could understand his sorrow, as she knew love was the strongest emotion of all.

But their conversation had gone so horribly, horribly wrong. Instead of helping to ease the burden of his sadness, they only made it worse.

When she heard the doors slide open behind her, she turned immediately. She sighed, seeing it was only Robin. Not that she didn't want to see him, but he wasn't the one who had disappeared all afternoon. She saw his furrowed brow and knew the answer to her question before she even asked it.

"Have you found friend Beast Boy yet?" Robin shook his head as he moved around the couch to sit between her and Cyborg. Sensors confirmed he wasn't in the tower, and though they had checked his usual hideouts, he was nowhere to be found.

"I'm sorry guys," he said with a sigh. "This was my stupid idea in the first place."

Cyborg rested a hand on his shoulder. "We were just trying to help him. No one knew how serious it was."

"Yeah," Robin huffed, "help him. Just like I helped him by figuring out who the killer was and that surprise—Slade was actually trying to help us." Starfire's mind jumped to the time of his discovery, when he noticed that each member of the Church of Blood had been kidnapped and mysteriously returned with no memory of what had happened. "Just like when I uncovered that Raven knew it was going to happen." Starfire closed her eyes for a minute. They would never say it in front of Beast Boy, who still believed Raven would never do that to them, but they were fairly sure she was knowledgeable of the impending murder. The words the Mayor spoke were true. The worst part of it was that in the end, Slade had stopped the Church himself, rendering Raven's sacrifice pointless.

"Robin please, I believe that, as time passes, Beast Boy will be thankful for your truths. He merely needs time." Just as she finished the sentence the door behind them slid open again. They each stiffened at the sound, knowing who it was.

"Beast Boy," Robin said as he turned around. "Where have you been?" Starfire could hear the relief in his voice.

Their teammate stood with his hands clenched at his sides, a stony expression on his face. With each second that passed, Starfire's heart fell.

"I've thought about your proposition earlier," Beast Boy said, completely ignoring Robin's question.

Starfire shared a sideways glance with their leader, confirming he felt just as bad about this as she did.

"You have?" Robin asked nervously.

Beast Boy nodded. "I think you were right Robin. I do need a break." He paused, taking a moment to look at each of them. "That's why I've decided to quit the Titans."

* * *

AN: Let me reassure you now: this story isn't over (as if a new chapter didn't prove that)! When it's over, you'll know, I promise. :)

One hundred thousand words later and we finally get to the song that actually inspired this fic. I was listening to Lana Del Rey's Dark Paradise and reading some BBxRae stories when the thought of one of them losing the other came into my mind, and the very basic premise for 21 was born!

Thank you so much for your overwhelming support.

XOXO Gwen


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36****  
**

Beast Boy pushed down on the pile of clothing, trying to cram as much as he could into the suitcase. He had packed only the essentials: a few days worth of clothing, toiletries, a few pictures, and the holo-ring Cyborg had given him. He had no idea where he was going or what he was going to do, but he knew he couldn't stay here.

_The room was dead quiet. Beast Boy bravely looked into each of his friends' shocked faces, waiting for one of them to say something. Unsurprisingly, it was Robin who spoke up first._

"_Beast Boy, are you sure that's a good idea? We talked about it and we're really sorry. What I said earlier was uncalled for." Robin looked him straight in the eye, giving an earnest apology. They were rare for him, and Beast Boy did appreciate the gesture, though it made no difference on his decision._

_He shook his head. "No, you were right. I can't do this forever. I can't keep living here. I walk in here or on the roof and I just can't stop thinking about her." He paused letting out a sigh as his eyes moved to the floor. "I just need to get away for a while. Not forever, just... I don't know. Until I don't feel this way anymore." His proclamation was once again met with silence. He slowly brought his eyes up and snuck a look at their expressions._

_All three stared back with sad eyes. Like they knew his acceptance of their suggestion was for the best, even if they didn't want him to leave._

"_You know, you don't have to leave. You can just stay here, you don't have to fight with us if you don't want to." Beast Boy shook his head to say no, and to signal his irritation at Robin suddenly changing his mind at kicking Beast Boy out._

"_I can't even stay in Jump City. I'm sorry," he whispered, catching Starfire's crushed look._

"_Where will you go?" Cyborg tried to hide his emotion as best he could, clenching his jaw and keeping his face strong._

"_I don't know yet," he answered truthfully. "I kind of just want to float around, see some things." He shrugged, keeping his answer non-committal._

"_But you will keep in touch while you are gone?" Starfire asked with worry in her voice. "And you will return when you are feeling better?"_

_Beast Boy gave her a small smile. "I'll try Star," he said gently. He just didn't know if trying would be enough._

Beast Boy tugged the zipper closed and stood the bag upright. He went through the details in his mind, making sure he had everything. He was startled to hear a knock on the door. He thought he had said his goodbyes in the common room.

"Beast Boy?" It was Robin's voice, though it lacked its usual confidence.

Beast Boy strode over to the door, peeking outside to see what Robin wanted.

He stood with one arm against the door jam, the other playing with the stack of objects it held. "I wanted to give you these. To make sure you were going to be okay." He handed over the items and Beast Boy flipped through them. There was a passport, a driver's license, and a folded birth certificate, all unauthentic and all for a white, blonde version of himself named Garfield Mark Logan. His real name.

"Where did you get all this?" he asked.

"I made it up after you announced you were leaving. It's excellent quality, you won't have any problems with it," he said reassuringly. "Cyborg said you had a holo-ring?" Beast Boy nodded. "Good."

Beast Boy reached the last item, a clipped wad of bills that he estimated added up to over a thousand dollars.

"Robin, you don't have to—"

"Please Beast Boy. We only want you to be okay. To be happy, if you can be," he added quietly. Beast Boy gave him a small smile.

"Thank you. For everything." He looked his leader in the eyes and delivered his words with as much meaning as possible.

"Don't mention it," Robin said quietly, backing away from the door. Beast Boy also backed into his room, turning as he let the door slide shut. He sighed, adding his communicator and the gifts from Robin to the front pouch of his small suitcase.

He looked around his room, giving it a final look-over before he left. Something in his gut bothered him though. Any room in the Tower was full of hundreds of memories, all of which he painfully relived after the night of the gala. There was one room though that he had avoided for good reason. He hadn't set foot in Raven's room since she died.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried. He had walked shakily up to her door several times. But as soon as he saw her name in the black, utilitarian lettering on the door, he lost any nerve he had worked up.

_One more try_, he breathed to himself, grabbing the handle of the suitcase and shutting the lights off as he went out the door.

When he arrived at her door, he stopped for a moment, studying it and the surrounding stretch of hallway. He had stood outside it so many times, mostly to annoy the shit out of her in hopes she would come out and hang with him. It didn't work very often.

The same waves of apprehension hit him, like this was not something he was supposed to be doing. It wasn't just him avoiding the room: no one had entered since she herself left it that night. He closed his eyes and breathed, knowing this would be his last opportunity.

He walked closer to the door, allowing the motion sensor to register his movement and open the entrance to her room.

It was so dark at first that he couldn't see a thing. He slowly took a few steps forward, suitcase trailing behind. The door slid shut behind him as he let his eyes adjust.

He stood stock still for a while, until every inch of the room was visible to his heightened sense of sight. Then, leaving the suitcase standing on its own, he ventured in further.

He went to the bookcase first, which was covered in a thin layer of dust. Everything was, now that he looked at it. It made it look even more eerie than the last time he had been in here. He walked to the dresser, looking at the hand mirror that rested on top of it. On a whim, he reached out and held it, though no matter how hard he stared at the surface, nothing happened.

He set it down gently on the counter, careful to put it back in its dust outline. He had never liked Raven's room, up until now. Now every part of it, every corner and color and piece of furniture reminded him of her.

He sighed and turned to her bed, cautiously appraising it. He drew closer, running a hand over the covers that three months ago, he had made love to her underneath. His fists clenched in the fabric.

"Raven," he whispered as he sat down gingerly on the edge. "I miss you so much." He was sick and tired of crying, but he could feel the swell of moisture in his eyes.

"You remember when I told you I loved you?" he said, ending with a half-laugh. "You don't know how much you love something until it's gone."

A slow, passive tear rolled down his cheek as he laid back on the bed, head resting on her pillow. He turned his head, taking a deep breath against the fabric. He almost choked when he discovered it still smelt like her.

He turned on his side, suddenly exhausted. He slid one arm under the pillow to cradle it against his head. Instead of the cool, soft feel of her sheets, he felt the crisp edge of paper.

Instantly, his brows drew together. He sat up abruptly, pulling out the thing from beneath the pillow. It was a folded sheet of paper with three letters on the outside.

_Gar_.

His heart beat faster. His mind raced and his ears rang as he slowly opened the note.

_I'm so sorry Gar, but I don't have time to explain. If things go like they're supposed to, I should be dead. I love you and I never wanted this to happen, but it was the only way. Please, believe me when I say that. I need help from you Gar. There might be a way to reverse things and bring me back. I need you to find Malchior. He'll know what to do._

_I love you Garfield. I always will._

_Raven_

Beast Boy stood so fast from the bed that his head spun, but he paid no attention to it as he tore out of the room, grabbing the suitcase as he ran by.

* * *

AN: There's hope! I'm so sorry to drag you through the pit of despair, but I didn't want to spoil anything. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you.

On another note, time to shamelessly self-advertise! I have two new stories and a pending one-shot. Check them out if you like!

XOXO Gwen


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